STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1451

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2021

 

RE:   S.B. No. 939

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 939 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO JUNETEENTH DAY,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to establish June 19 of each year as Juneteenth Day to commemorate the end of slavery in the United States and in honor and recognition of the significant roles and contributions of African Americans in the history of the United States.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission, one member of the Honolulu City Council, LGBT Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, Common Cause Hawaii, The Pōpolo Project, Community Alliance on Prisons, African American Lawyers Association of Hawaii, Young Progressives Demanding Action, Planned Parenthood Votes Northwest and Hawaii, Hawaii for Juneteenth, Our Space, and numerous individuals.

 

     Your Committee finds that Juneteenth is the symbolic date celebrating the emancipation of individuals, primarily African Americans, who had been enslaved in the United States.  Hawaii is one of only three states that do not recognize Juneteenth as a state holiday or a special day of observance.  Your Committee recognizes the importance of Juneteenth for African Americans and the country as a whole and believes that the date should be commemorated annually by the State.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by referring to June 19 as simply Juneteenth rather than Juneteenth Day.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 939, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 939, H.D. 1.

 

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

MARK M. NAKASHIMA, Chair