STAND. COM. REP. NO. 856

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 560

       S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Judiciary and Labor and Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 560 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate funds to the University of Hawaii to translate the Hawaii State Constitution into the Hawaiian language.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from Ho‘omana Pono, LLC; and four individuals.  Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual.

     Your Committees find that article X, section 4, of the Hawaii State Constitution provides, in pertinent part, "The State shall promote the study of Hawaiian culture, history and language."  In addition, article XV, section 4, of the Hawaii State Constitution establishes Hawaiian as one of two official languages of the State.  However, the Hawaii State Constitution is officially published only in English.  This measure is a positive step in the continued revitalization of the Hawaiian language.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

     (1)  Inserting a blank appropriation amount to the University of Hawaii;

     (2)  Inserting an effective date of January 7, 2059, to encourage further discussion; and

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

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Judiciary and Labor and Ways and Means that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 560, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 560, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Judiciary and Labor and Ways and Means,

________________________________ JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair

________________________________ GILBERT S.C. KEITH-AGARAN, Chair