STAND. COM. REP. NO. 214

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 904

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 904 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO STATE CERTIFICATION OF HEALTH CARE INTERPRETERS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

     (1)  Establish a health care interpreter qualification or certification system within the Department of Health;

     (2)  Establish and appropriate funds for the Hawaii Board of Health Care Interpreters; and

     (3)  Authorize the Board to qualify or certify a person as a health care interpreter.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Interpreter Action Network, Hawai‘i Civil Rights Commission, and one individual.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Office of Language Access, Pacific Gateway Center, and one individual.

     Your Committee finds that the lack of competent health care interpreters in the provision of health care services impedes the free flow of communication between the health care provider and patient, preventing clear and accurate communication and the development of empathy, confidence, and mutual trust that is essential for an effective relationship between a health care provider and patient.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 904 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

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

____________________________

JOSH GREEN, Chair