STAND. COM. REP. NO. 695

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: H.B. No. 1128

H.D. 2

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 1128, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SUPPORT FOR TRADITIONAL NATIVE SPEAKERS OF HAWAIIAN,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Provide that, in any island with a population of five hundred or less:

(A) Hawaiian language shall be recognized as the sole indigenous language of the Hawaiian Islands;

(B) Public schools may offer a course in Hawaiian language; and

(C) Every effort shall be made to accommodate Hawaiian speakers; and

(2) Require and appropriate funds for the State Public Charter School Commission to study the Hawaiian language, publish resource materials for native speakers of the Hawaiian language, consult stakeholders, and submit a report to the Legislature.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Department of Accounting and General Services, Ka Leo o na Kupa, Kaunalewa, and sixteen individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Education and one individual.

Your Committee finds that there are communities of Hawaiian language native speakers, such as on Niihau, who have continuously used Hawaiian as their primary language. This measure supports native speakers by requiring efforts to provide translations of public documents, notices, and medical records and interpreters for social and legal services in a version of Hawaiian best suited for them.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Defining "Hawaiian language," "native speakers," and "new speakers" consistently throughout the measure; and

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

Your Committee respectfully requests your Committee on Finance, should it deliberate on this measure, to consider an appropriation amount of $50,000 for the State Public Charter School Commission to conduct the study, publish resource materials for native speakers, consult stakeholders, and draft its report to the Legislature.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1128, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1128, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs,

____________________________

DAVID A. TARNAS, Chair