CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 152

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: S.B. No. 814

S.D. 2

H.D. 2

C.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sirs:

Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 814, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ELECTRONIC INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ACCESSIBILITY FOR PERSONS WITH LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENCY,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Require the Office of Enterprise Technology Services, in consultation with the Office of Language Access and a working group comprising stakeholders, to develop and publish, and periodically review and update, electronic information technology multilingual accessibility standards to be implemented by all state entities; and

(2) Appropriate funds for an unspecified number of positions.

Your Committee on Conference finds that developing statewide electronic information technology accessibility standards to assist persons having limited English proficiency will help residents navigate government programs and improve residents' engagement with public services. This measure establishes electronic information technology and multilingual accessibility standards, provides a critical link to communication, and makes government services accessible for all individuals regardless of their language proficiency.

Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

(1) Adding the requisite information for making an appropriation in excess of the general fund expenditure ceiling pursuant to article VII, section 9, of the Hawaii State Constitution and sections 37-91 and 37-93, Hawaii Revised Statutes;

(2) Inserting an appropriation amount of $100,000 for fiscal year 2023-2024 for one full-time equivalent (1.00 FTE) position;

(3) Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2023; and

(4) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 814, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 814, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

____________________________ SCOT Z. MATAYOSHI Co-Chair	____________________________ ANGUS L.K. MCKELVEY Chair
____________________________ ANDREW GARRETT Co-Chair	____________________________ HENRY J.C. AQUINO Co-Chair