STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1777

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: S.B. No. 1496

S.D. 1

H.D. 2

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 1496, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CIVIL RIGHTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to make it an unlawful discriminatory practice for a place of public accommodation to deny a person with a disability full and equal enjoyment of, or information related to, their goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, or accommodations using information and communication technology intended for use by the general public, subject to certain exceptions.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the State Health Planning and Development Agency; Disability and Communication Access Board; Hawai‘i Civil Rights Commission; State Council on Developmental Disabilities; Hawaii Self-Advocacy Advisory Council; Hawaii Disability Rights Center; National Federation of the Blind of Hawaii; and ten individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Human Services.

Your Committee finds that advancements in technology have altered how businesses and service providers communicate with their customers and the public, including through the use of websites and applications on mobile devices. However, these advancements in technology may not accommodate persons with disabilities, denying them full and equal access. This measure addresses this challenge by ensuring that places of public accommodation provide equal access to digital information and service persons with disabilities.

Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

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 S.B. No. 1496, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1496, S.D. 1, H.D. 2.

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

____________________________

DAVID A. TARNAS, Chair