STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2144

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                   

 

RE:     GOV. MSG. NOS. 643, 644, 645, 663

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health, to which was referred Governor's Message Nos. 643, 644, 645, and 663, submitting for study and consideration the nominations of: 

 

Disability and Communication Access Board

 

G.M. No. 643

JUSTIN TOKIOKA,

for a term to expire 06-30-2023;

 

G.M. No. 644

PAULINE AUGHE,

for a term to expire 06-30-2023;

 

G.M. No. 645

SCOTT FLEMING,

for a term to expire 06-30-2023; and

 

G.M. No. 663

GERALD ISOBE,

for a term to expire 06-30-2023,

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     Your Committee reviewed the personal histories, resumes, and statements submitted by Justin Tokioka, Pauline Aughe, Scott Fleming, and Gerald Isobe for service on the Disability and Communication Access Board.

 

JUSTIN TOKIOKA

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of the nomination for the reappointment of Justin Tokioka from the Disability and Communication Access Board and one individual. 

 

     Upon review of the testimony, your Committee finds that Mr. Tokioka's background, experience, and proven experience on the Disability and Communication Access Board qualify him to be nominated for reappointment to the Disability and Communication Access Board in the capacity of an individual with a disability and as a representative of the County of Kauai.  Your Committee notes that Mr. Tokioka graduated with a degree in finance from the University of Hawaii at Manoa and is very active in the sport of golf.  Mr. Tokioka was a member of the 2016 World Deaf Golf Team USA and is currently working toward certification as a PGA Club Professional.  Your Committee further finds that Mr. Tokioka is fluent in American Sign Language and has been on the Disability and Communication Access Board for one year, where he has joined the Standing Committee on Communication Access and supported the Committee's efforts to amend the Board's administrative rules and develop a credentialing system and fee schedule for American Sign Language interpreters.  Your Committee finds that the insight Mr. Tokioka offers as a resident of a neighbor island and a member of the deaf community will be an asset to the Board and therefore recommends that Mr. Tokioka be reappointed to the Disability and Communication Access Board.

 

PAULINE AUGHE

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of the nomination for the reappointment of Pauline Aughe from the Disability and Communication Access Board, Full Life, and two individuals. 

 

     Upon review of the testimony, your Committee finds that Ms. Aughe's background, knowledge, and proven experience on the Disability and Communication Access Board qualify her to be nominated for reappointment to the Disability and Communication Access Board in the capacity of an individual with a disability and as a representative from the County of Hawaii.  Your Committee notes that Ms. Aughe worked as a Disability Program Navigator before founding Pauline Victoria, LLC/One Leg Up Productions, LLC, to spread the message of hope and possibility.  Ms. Aughe is also dedicated to public service and has volunteered with multiple organizations, including Full Life, Aloha Independent Living Hawaii, Assistive Technology Resource Center, and Hawaii County Mayor's Committee for People with Disabilities.  Your Committee further finds that Ms. Aughe has been a member of the Disability and Communication Access Board since 2013 and her personal and professional experience and her efforts to increase public awareness of disability-related issues on Hawaii island continue to enhance the effectiveness of the Board.  Your Committee therefore recommends that Ms. Aughe be reappointed to the Disability and Communication Access Board based on her knowledge, experience, and commitment to public service. 

 

SCOTT FLEMING

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of the nomination for the reappointment of Scott Fleming from the Disability and Communication Access Board, Engineering Partners, and two individuals. 

 

     Upon review of the testimony, your Committee finds that Mr. Fleming's background, knowledge, and proven experience on the Disability and Communication Access Board qualify him to be nominated for reappointment to the Disability and Communication Access Board in the capacity of a representative of the County of Hawaii.  Your Committee notes that Mr. Fleming is an architect with over twenty years of experience and has worked on multiple projects for public sector clients obligated to comply with the requirements of the Americans With Disabilities Act.  Your Committee finds that during the past year, Mr. Fleming has been a member of the Disability and Communication Access Board since 2017 and serves on the Board's Standing Committee on Facility Access, where he offers insights based on his years of experience with the Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines and state law review requirements for accessible buildings.  Your Committee finds that Mr. Fleming's experience continues to enhance the effectiveness of the Board and therefore recommends that Mr. Fleming be reappointed to the Disability and Communication Access Board based on his technical knowledge, experience, and commitment to public service.  

 

GERALD ISOBE

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of the nomination for the appointment of Gerald Isobe from the Disability and Communication Access Board and three individuals. 

 

     Upon review of the testimony, your Committee finds that Mr. Isobe's background, experience, and commitment to public service qualify him to be nominated for appointment to the Disability and Communication Access Board in the capacity of an individual with a disability.  Your Committee notes that Mr. Isobe has nearly forty years of experience as an accountant with the federal government and is currently a Senior Financial Management Analyst at the Naval Health Clinic Hawaii.  Mr. Isobe is also dedicated to community service and has served as a board member, treasurer, and fundraiser for the Hawaii Service on Deafness and the Aloha State Association, and also serves as the treasurer for the Georgia Morikawa organization.  Your Committee further finds that Mr. Isobe is known in Hawaii's deaf and hard of hearing community for bringing forward new technological advances in speech to text technology and for developing an app to facilitate communication between a hearing and a non-hearing person.  Your Committee finds that Mr. Isobe's experience, commitment to technological innovation, and dedication to public service will be assets to the Disability and Communication Access Board and therefore recommends Mr. Isobe's appointment to the Disability and Communication Access Board. 

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and 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 Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health,

 

 

 

____________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair