STAND. COM. REP. NO.13

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2003

RE: S.B. No. 950

S.D. 1

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 950 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish a commission on language access to develop a statewide plan to enhance access to services and programs for persons with limited English proficiency (LEP).

Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission.

Your Committee finds that many state programs receive federal financial assistance. To assure that LEP persons have full access to these programs and to assure compliance with the law, there is a need to establish a comprehensive statewide plan to improve access to services, programs, and activities by eligible LEP persons. The need for a statewide plan is underscored by the fact that LEP persons are often excluded from state services, experience delays or denials of service, or receive care and services based on inaccurate or incomplete information. Frequently, LEP persons are required to call upon neighbors, strangers, or even their minor children to interpret or translate for them as they access and receive services from departments.

Your Committee has amended this measure by spelling out the words "limited English proficiency" in the statutory text.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 950, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 950, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Human Services,

____________________________

SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair