STAND. COM. REP. NO. 925

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 813

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 813 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO COURT INTERPRETERS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to require the Judiciary to increase the hourly fees, reimbursement rate, and commuter-time compensation rate for court interpreters to reflect the significant increase in the cost of living in Hawaii.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Judiciary, Office of Language Access, Hawaii Coalition for Immigrant Rights, and two individuals.

Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Judiciary.

Your Committee finds that court interpreters are valued professionals who provide critical language access in the State's courts. Court interpreters should be paid fairly for their work, and your Committee finds that a rate adjustment is warranted.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure; and

(2) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 813, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 813, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair