STAND. COM. REP. NO. 435

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 781

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 781 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE JUDICIARY'S ‘ŌLELO HAWAI‘I INITIATIVES,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate funds to support the Judiciary's ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi Initiatives.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from Hoomana Pono, LLC; Hawaiʻi Friends of Civil Rights; Kupuna for the Moopuna; CARES; and eight individuals.

Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual.

Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Judiciary.

Your Committees find that article XV, section 4, of the Hawaii State Constitution affirms that English and ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language) shall be the official languages of the State. Your Committees also find that the Hawaii State Constitution provides for the preservation and promotion of Native Hawaiian culture, history, and language in various provisions, including article X, section 4. Your Committees further find that the Judiciary has already taken initial steps to explore ways of providing ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi resources, interpreter, and translation services to the public. Your Committees believe that it is time for more attention and funding to move the Judiciary's efforts forward. This measure will support the Judiciary's ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi program and the efforts to revive the State's co-official language.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the appropriation to an unspecified amount;

(2) Inserting an effective date of April 23, 2057, to encourage further discussion; and

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

Your Committees note that this measure, as amended, contains an unspecified appropriation amount.  Should your Committee on Ways and Means choose to deliberate on this measure, your Committees respectfully request that it consider inserting an appropriation amount of $300,000 to support the Judiciary's ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi projects.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 781, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 781, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs,

________________________________ HERBERT M. RICHARDS, III, Chair

________________________________ KARL RHOADS, Chair