STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3136

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    GOV. MSG. NOS. 606, 607, 608, 609, 610, 611, 612

 

 

 

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred Governor's Message Nos. 606, 607, 608, 609, 610, 611, and 612, submitting for study and consideration the nominations of: 

 

Disability and Communication Access Board

 

G.M. No. 606

PETER FRITZ,

for a term to expire 6-30-2017;

 

G.M. No. 607

LUCY MILLER,

for a term to expire 6-30-2018;

 

G.M. No. 608

BARBARA FISCHLOWITZ-LEONG,

for a term to expire 6-30-2017;

 

G.M. No. 609

LYNN MURAKAMI-AKATSUKA,

for a term to expire 6-30-2018;

 

G.M. No. 610

GLENN NAKAMURA,

for a term to expire 6-30-2018;

 

G.M. No. 611

MICHAEL OKAMOTO,

for a term to expire 6-30-2018; and

 

G.M. No. 612

ANTHONY RIECKE-GONZALES,

for a term to expire 6-30-2017.

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     Your Committee has reviewed the personal histories, resumes, and statements submitted by the nominees and finds Peter Fritz, Lucy Miller, Barbara Fischlowitz-Leong, Lynn Murakami-Akatsuka, Glenn Nakamura, Michael Okamoto, and Anthony Riecke-Gonzales to possess the requisite qualifications to be nominated to the Disability and Communication Access Board.

 

PETER FRITZ

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of the nomination of Peter Fritz from the Disability and Communication Access Board; D'Amato and Maloney, LLC; and two individuals.

 

     Mr. Fritz attended the Master of Laws program in taxation at the University of Miami and received a Juris Doctorate degree from New York Law School.  Mr. Fritz also received a Bachelor of Science degree from Willamette University.

 

     Mr. Fritz serves as counsel for the Assistive Technology Resource Centers of Hawaii.  Additionally, Mr. Fritz has served one term on the Disability and Communication Access Board and currently serves as the Chair.  According to his statement, Mr. Fritz shares the Board's mission of ensuring that people with disabilities are valued equally and participate fully in the community.

 

     Your Committee finds that Mr. Fritz has been instrumental in raising awareness relating to open and equal access in government, including access to the Internet and digital formats.  Your Committee further finds that Mr. Fritz's professional experience practicing as an attorney for over thirty years, as well as his lifelong commitment to advocating for persons with disabilities, will continue to be great assets to the Board.

 

LUCY MILLER

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of the nomination of Lucy Miller from the Disability and Communication Access Board.

 

     Dr. Miller received a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Educational Psychology from Brigham Young University, a Master of Arts degree in Special Education Administration from California State University, Northridge, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of California, Berkeley.  Dr. Miller is licensed in Marriage and Family Therapy in Hawaii and California.

 

     Dr. Miller is an active family therapist on Kauai.  She has served in many capacities on the Disability and Communication Access Board, including serving as the immediate past Vice Chair, as well as representing the deaf and hard of hearing community.  Your Committee finds that Dr. Miller's background, experience, and commitment to serving individuals with disabilities qualify her for reappointment to the Disability and Communication Access Board.

 

BARBARA FISCHLOWITZ-LEONG

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of the nomination of Barbara Fischlowitz-Leong from the Disability and Communication Access Board.

 

     Ms. Fischlowitz-Leong received a Master of Arts degree in Education from George Washington University and Bachelor of Arts degrees in English and Sociology from Elmhurst College.  She also studied in the doctoral program in Education at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.

 

     Ms. Fischlowitz-Leong currently serves as the Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of Assistive Technology Resource Centers of Hawaii.  Ms. Fischlowitz-Leong has served in many capacities on the Disability and Communication Access Board and currently serves as the Legislative Chairperson.  She also served as Chair of the Board for two years, as well as serving as a member on the Executive Committee.

 

     Your Committee finds that Ms. Fischlowitz-Leong is familiar with the full array of technological advancements that can assist individuals with disabilities to be more independent in the community.  She is very involved as a strong community advocate for equal access for individuals with disabilities and supports the changing use of technology to provide access in areas such as adaptive computers, web access, reading, and daily living activities.

 

     Your Committee finds that Ms. Fischlowitz-Leong's background, commitment to serving the community, and proven experience qualify her for reappointment to the Disability and Communication Access Board.

 

LYNN MURAKAMI-AKATSUKA

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of the nomination of Lynn Murakami-Akatsuka from the Disability and Communication Access Board, Community Children's Council of Hawaii, and one individual.

 

     Ms. Murakami-Akatsuka received a Master of Public Health degree in Community Health Education and a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Development from the University of Hawaii at Manoa.  She also completed graduate work in Public Health Education at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

 

     Ms. Murakami-Akatsuka currently serves as a Planner V for the Hansen's Disease Branch of the Department of Health's Communicable Disease Division.  Prior to this position, Ms. Murakami-Akatsuka served as a Planner V for the Department of Health's Developmental Disabilities Division.  Ms. Murakami-Akatsuka's important roles in the Department of Health have given her a broad perspective on policy issues.

 

     Your Committee finds that Ms. Murakami-Akatsuka has consistently supported the rights of students with disabilities and their families to a free, appropriate education and strongly advocates for policies that promote the inclusion of families of individuals with disabilities.  Upon review of the testimony, your Committee finds that Ms. Murakami-Akatsuka's background, experience, and commitment qualify her for reappointment to the Disability and Communication Access Board.

 

GLENN NAKAMURA

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of the nomination of Glenn Nakamura from the Disability and Communication Access Board.

 

     Mr. Nakamura attended Leeward Community College.  He also received training at the California College of Dental Technicians.  Mr. Nakamura served as the Hawaii Operations Manager for Grocery Outlet, Inc., and retired in 2004 following a diagnosis of muscular dystrophy.

 

     Mr. Nakamura has been extremely active on the Disability and Communication Access Board's Standing Committee on Parking.  As a person with a disability and user of accessible parking spaces, he is a strong advocate for enforcement and appropriate stall design.

 

     According to Mr. Nakamura's statement, he is eager to work with the Disability and Communication Access Board to facilitate the State's efforts to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act and civil rights laws.  With over twenty years of management experience, as well as personal experience with relevant issues, your Committee finds that Mr. Nakamura is qualified for reappointment to the Disability and Communication Access Board.

 

MICHAEL OKAMOTO

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of the nomination of Michael Okamoto from the Disability and Communication Access Board.

 

     Mr. Okamoto received a Bachelor of Architecture degree from the University of Hawaii at Manoa.  He currently serves as a Principal at Next Design, LLC.

 

     Your Committee finds that Mr. Okamoto is a licensed architect with a strong knowledge base of the Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines and Federal Fair Housing Accessibility Guidelines.  According to Mr. Okamoto, accessibility has always been an integral part to all of his design projects.

 

     Mr. Okamoto currently serves as Vice Chair of the Disability and Communication Access Board.  With over twenty-one years of experience in architecture and planning, your Committee finds that Mr. Okamoto's background, commitment to serving his community, and proven experience qualify him for reappointment to the Disability and Communication Access Board.

 

ANTHONY RIECKE-GONZALES

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of the nomination of Anthony Riecke-Gonzales from the Disability and Communication Access Board.

 

     Mr. Riecke-Gonzales attended the College of San Mateo and the University of Hawaii at Manoa.  He holds a Bachelor of Architecture.

 

     Your Committee finds that Mr. Riecke-Gonzales has been a very active member of the Disability and Communication Access Board in the dual capacity of a licensed architect and the only representative from the County of Maui.  As a licensed professional architect, Mr. Riecke-Gonzales has been working in Hawaii for over twenty-five years on residential and commercial projects, from conceptual design through construction.

 

     According to testimony, Mr. Riecke-Gonzales has brought a fresh perspective to the Disability and Communication Access Board, with real world insight into the design and construction process for state and county buildings, facilities, and sites.  Your Committee therefore recommends that Mr. Riecke-Gonzales be reappointed to the Disability and Communication Access Board based on his experience, dedication, and commitment to providing access for individuals with disabilities.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that are attached to this report, your Committee, after full consideration of the background, experience, and qualifications of the nominees, has found the nominees to be qualified for the positions to which nominated and recommends that the Senate advise and consent to the nominations.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health,

 

 

 

____________________________

JOSH GREEN, Chair