STAND. COM. REP. 113

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2003

RE: H.B. No. 260

H.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Health and Human Services and Housing, to which was referred H.B. No. 260 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO LANGUAGE ACCESS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to:

(1) Establish the Hawaii State Commission on Language Access (Commission) to develop and monitor a statewide plan to enhance access to services for individuals with limited English proficiency; and

(2) Appropriate funds for the Commission.

The Hawaii Civil Rights Commission testified in support of this measure. The Department of Health supported the intent of this measure. The Department of Labor and Industrial Relations (DLIR) provided comments.

Your Committees find that individuals with limited English proficiency sometimes have difficulty obtaining services from state agencies because of their limited ability to speak the English language. DLIR expressed its commitment toward finding a resolution to this ongoing matter, and stated that it is in the process of obtaining an opinion from the Attorney General pertaining to language access.

Your Committees have amended this bill by:

(1) Changing the amount of the appropriation to $1 to facilitate further discussion; and

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

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Health and Human Services and Housing that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 260, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 260, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Labor and Public Employment.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Health and Human Services and Housing,

 

____________________________

MICHAEL PUAMAMO KAHIKINA, Chair

____________________________

DENNIS A. ARAKAKI, Chair