STAND. COM. REP. NO. 4003

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    GOV. MSG. NOS. 673, 674, 675, 676, 682

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred Governor's Message Nos. 673, 674, 675, 676, and 682, submitting for study and consideration the nominations of: 

 

Language Access Advisory Council

 

G.M. No. 673

BARBARA TOM,

for a term to expire 06-30-2024;

 

G.M. No. 674

LYDIA PAVON,

for a term to expire 06-30-2024;

 

G.M. No. 675

CHARLOTTE HUANG,

for a term to expire 06-30-2022;

 

G.M. No. 676

CHARLOTTE HUANG,

for a term to expire 06-30-2026; and

 

G.M. No. 682

RANDALL LANDRY II,

for a term to expire 06-30-2025,

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     Your Committee reviewed the personal histories, resumes, and statements submitted by Barbara Tom, Lydia Pavon, Charlotte Huang, and Randall Landry II for service on the Language Access Advisory Council.

 


BARBARA TOM

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of the nomination for the appointment of Barbara Tom from the Office of Language Access, Hawaii Coalition for Immigrant Rights, Pacific Gateway Center, and four individuals.

 

     Upon review of the testimony, your Committee finds that Ms. Tom's experience working with limited English speakers, commitment to public service, and dedication to ensuring that limited English speakers have equal access to government services, qualify her for appointment to the Language Access Advisory Council.  Ms. Tom is currently the Director of Waipahu Safe Haven, a project within the Waipahu Community Association.  In this position, Ms. Tom is responsible for the operation of the Immigrant/Migrant Resource Center, an organization that addresses the social determinants of health, education, and welfare, by providing language access services to help clientele address all areas of need.  Ms. Tom also has more than twenty years of experience working as a public health nurse at the Hawaii Department of Health.  Your Committee further finds that Ms. Tom's service on the Language Access Advisory Council fulfills the requirement of section 321C-7, Hawaii Revised Statutes, that a member be a representative of a covered entity.  Your Committee therefore recommends that Barbara Tom be appointed to the Language Access Advisory Council based on her experience working with limited English speakers and commitment to ensuring that limited English speakers have equal access to government services.

 

LYDIA PAVON

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of the nomination for the reappointment of Lydia Pavon from the Department of Health and Domestic Violence Action Center.

 

     Upon review of the testimony, your Committee finds that Ms. Pavon's experience as an advocate for limited English proficient victims of domestic violence, commitment to public service, and dedication to ensuring that limited English speakers have equal access to government services, qualify her for reappointment to the Language Access Advisory Council.  Ms. Pavon is currently the Housing Manager – Survivor Advocacy Services at the Domestic Violence Action Center, an advocacy organization that provides services to limited English proficient individuals.  As an advocate for limited English proficient individuals, Ms. Pavon meets with individuals from different communities and cultures, which gives her firsthand knowledge about the challenges faced by the State's diverse limited English proficient individuals, especially in the area of language access.  Your Committee further finds that Ms. Pavon's service on the Language Access Advisory Council fulfills the requirement of section 321C-7, Hawaii Revised Statutes, that a member be a representative of an advocacy organization that provides services to limited English proficient persons.  Your Committee notes that Ms. Pavon currently serves on the Language Access Advisory Council and therefore is already familiar with its work.  Your Committee therefore recommends that Lydia Pavon be reappointed to the Language Access Advisory Council based on her experience as an advocate for limited English proficient victims of domestic violence and commitment to ensuring that limited English speakers have equal access to government services.

 

CHARLOTTE HUANG

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of the nominations for the appointment and reappointment of Charlotte Huang from the Office of Language Access and one individual.

 

     Upon review of the testimony, your Committee finds that Ms. Huang's experience as a person with limited English proficiency navigating State resources, commitment to public service, and dedication to ensuring that limited English speakers have equal access to government services, qualify her for appointment and reappointment to the Language Access Advisory Council.  Ms. Huang, an immigrant from China, is multi-lingual and fluent in Cantonese and Mandarin, with English as her next language.  Ms. Huang formerly worked for more than sixteen years with Child and Family Service, a nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening families and fostering the healthy development of children, where she provided services to limited and non-English speaking clients.  Ms. Huang helped immigrant families and their children to assimilate into the community where they live, assisted them with immigration issues, placed them in employment with the right employers, and linked them to community resources so they could become self-sufficient.  Your Committee further finds that Ms. Huang's service on the Language Access Advisory Council fulfills the requirement of section 321C-7, Hawaii Revised Statutes, that a member be a representative of the limited English proficient population who has an interest in the provision of oral language services.  Your Committee notes that Ms. Huang currently serves on the Language Access Advisory Council and therefore is already familiar with its work.  Your Committee therefore recommends that Charlotte Huang be appointed and reappointed to the Language Access Advisory Council based on her experience as a person with limited English proficiency navigating State resources and commitment to ensuring that limited English speakers have equal access to government services.

 

RANDALL LANDRY II

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of the nomination for the appointment of Randall Landry II from the Department of Transportation, Office of Language Access, and four individuals.

 

     Upon review of the testimony, your Committee finds that Mr. Landry's experience as a government employee, commitment to public service, and dedication to ensuring that limited English speakers have equal access to government services, qualify him for appointment to the Language Access Advisory Council.  Mr. Landry received his Juris Doctor from the University of Texas School of Law and is a member of the Hawaii State Bar Association.  Mr. Landry currently resides in the City and County of Honolulu and is employed as a Title VI Program Specialist at the Department of Transportation.  In this position, Mr. Landry is responsible for the coordination, planning, and development of statewide programs relating to meaningful access to the Department of Transportation's services and programs for limited English proficiency individuals.  Mr. Landry is also a designated Language Access Coordinator for the Department of Transportation.  Your Committee further finds that Mr. Landry's service on the Language Access Advisory Council fulfills the requirement of section 321C‑7, Hawaii Revised Statutes, that a member be a representative residing in the City and County of Honolulu who has shown interest in language access.  Your Committee therefore recommends that Randall Landry II be appointed to the Language Access Advisory Council based on his experience a government employee and commitment to ensuring that limited English speakers have equal access to government services.

 

     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,

 

 

 

____________________________

JARRETT KEOHOKALOLE, Chair