Report Title:

Sign Language Interpreters

 

Description:

Appropriates funds for sign language interpreters to the department of human services, the legislature, the University of Hawaii, and the department of health.

 

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

354

TWENTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2001

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETERS.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that communications access, frequently provided by sign language interpreters, is specifically required by federal law and implied in state law. Federal laws include the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. State laws include chapters 368, 378, and 489 of the Hawaii Revised Statutes.

The legislature finds that problems exist in our community in obtaining sign language interpreters to provide appropriate communication access for people who are deaf, hard-of-hearing, deaf-blind, or who otherwise rely on American Sign Language for communication.

The legislature further finds that effective communication access required by law is not being provided to all sign language dependent requestors at all times. This shortage of supply represents a human services problem for the community at large and a significant liability for the State of Hawaii.

A committee representing a broad based coalition of state agencies, educators, and community based organizations was convened in the summer of 2000 to identify the issues relating to the availability (or shortage) of American Sign Language interpreters in the State of Hawaii.

The committee identified an estimated need of approximately ninety sign language interpreters working full time in the State of Hawaii to meet the needs of the estimated one thousand one hundred consumers who rely on sign language for interpersonal communication. The estimated need for interpreters is likely to be an underestimate of the true need.

The committee noted that the number of available interpreters should increase slightly as the new interpreter credentialing system is implemented by the disability and communication access board, bringing the pool to an estimated fifty interpreters before the end of the fiscal year ending June 2001.

A combination of recommendations were considered, each addressing different aspects of a complex situation. Recommendations were grouped into two general categories:

(1) Maintaining interpreters in the profession; and

(2) Increasing the pool of qualified interpreters working in Hawaii.

The committee, in their report published in November 2000, identified specific initiatives and programs as proposed initiatives to increase the quantity and availability of interpreters.

The legislature further finds that an investment of financial resources by state government and private grantors and investment of human resources is required to implement the recommendations of the committee, and to address the shortage of qualified sign language interpreters in the State of Hawaii.

The purpose of this Act is to appropriate funds to implement four specific recommendations of the committee that will increase the number of sign language interpreters statewide.

SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $38,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2001-2002, for scholarship awards to students completing and obtaining credentials from an interpreter education program.

SECTION 3. The sum appropriated under section 2 shall be expended by the department of human services for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 4. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $5,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2001-2002, for on-call interpreter services during the regular session of 2002.

SECTION 5. The sum appropriated under section 4 shall be expended by the house of representatives for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 6. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $5,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2001-2002, for on-call interpreter services during the regular session of 2002.

SECTION 7. The sum appropriated under section 6 shall be expended by the senate for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 8. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $94,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2001-2002, for the interpreter education program and mentor program, the language enrichment technical center, and the recommendations of the internal program review at the Kapiolani Community College campus of the University of Hawaii.

SECTION 9. The sum appropriated under section 8 shall be expended by the University of Hawaii for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 10. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $31,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2001-2002, for temporary interim positions for sign language interpreters at the disability and communication access board.

SECTION 11. The sum appropriated under section 10 shall be expended by the department of health for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 12. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2001.

INTRODUCED BY:

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