STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1646

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2023

 

RE:   H.C.R. No. 186

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Health & Homelessness, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 186 entitled:

 

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH'S OFFICE OF LANGUAGE ACCESS TO ESTABLISH AN AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETER WORKFORCE WORKING GROUP TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETERS IN THE STATE,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to request the Department of Health's Office of Language Access to establish an American Sign Language Interpreter Workforce Working Group to promote increasing the number of American Sign Language interpreters in the State.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Disability and Communication Access Board and Hawaii Disability Rights Center.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Office of Language Access.

 

     Your Committee finds that American Sign Language interpreters provide a critical service by facilitating the effective communication between the State's deaf, heard of hearing, or deaf-blind residents and hearing individuals and public agencies in the State in a variety of settings and circumstances.  Your Committee further finds that there is an increased need statewide for the services of American Sign Language interpreters.  This measure is intended to promote the development of a robust American Sign Language interpreter workforce and provide greater accessibility for individuals receiving American Sign Language interpretation.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Requesting the Disability and Communication Access Board, rather than the Office of Language Access, to convene the American Sign Language Interpreter Workforce Working Group;

 

     (2)  Amending the composition of the working group;

 

     (3)  Amending the recipients of certified copies of this measure;

 

     (4)  Amending the title in accordance with its amended purpose; and

 

     (5)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health & Homelessness that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 186, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as H.C.R. No. 186, H.D. 1.

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

DELLA AU BELATTI, Chair