STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1578

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: H.R. No. 120

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Higher Education, to which was referred H.R. No. 120 entitled:

"HOUSE RESOLUTION ENCOURAGING THE KAWAIHUELANI CENTER FOR HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII AT MANOA TO FURTHER PROVIDE LEARNING RESOURCES AND OPPORTUNITIES THAT PROMOTE HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE AND CULTURE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to encourage the Kawaihuelani Center for Hawaiian Language of the University of Hawaii at Manoa, through its I Hoa na Moolelo Project, to further provide learning resources and opportunities that promote Hawaiian language and culture.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from one individual.

Your Committee finds that the Department of Education supports Hawaiian language fluency through Kula Kaiapuni Hawaiian language immersion schools across Hawaii. Your Committee further finds that Kaiapuni students and their families encounter limited access to activities, materials, and learning opportunities that they can engage in together to promote use of ʻOlelo Hawaii in their homes.

Your Committee notes that the Kawaihuelani Center for Hawaiian Language of the University of Hawaii at Manoa strives to revitalize Hawaiian language and culture through quality Hawaiian education by creating and providing materials, curricula, and resources that promote the use of the Hawaiian language. As part of its outreach, the Kawaihuelani Center for Hawaiian Language created and implemented the I Hoa na Moolelo Project in 2021 to publish a quarterly children's magazine written in the Hawaiian language, for the enjoyment of Kaiapuni and charter school students in grades 2-6 on Oahu. Your Committee recognizes the success of the I Hoa na Moolelo Project and believes that the Project should be extended to provide all Kaiapuni students and families with Hawaiian language and literacy resources and create opportunities for ʻOlelo Hawaii to flourish in homes and communities.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Clarifying that a certified copy of this measure is to be transmitted to the Director of the Kawaihuelani Center for Hawaiian Language of the University of Hawaii at Manoa; and

(2) 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 Higher Education that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.R. No. 120, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs in the form attached hereto as H.R. No. 120, H.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Higher Education,

____________________________

ANDREW TAKUYA GARRETT, Chair