STAND. COM. REP. NO. 402

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 560

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Hawaiian Affairs and Higher Education, 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 Hawai‘i to translate the Hawai‘i State Constitution into the Hawaiian language.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the University of Hawaii System; Kūamahi Community Education Group of Kamehameha Schools; and fifteen individuals.

     Your Committees find that article X, section 4, of the Hawai‘i 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 Hawai‘i State Constitution establishes Hawaiian as one of two official languages of the State of Hawai‘i.  The legislature further finds that the Hawai‘i State Constitution is officially published only in English.

Your Committees further find that this measure is a positive step in the continued revitalization of the Hawaiian language.  According to testimony of the University of Hawai‘i, its College of Hawaiian Language, Ka Haka ‘Ula O Ke‘elikōlani, has the expertise and capacity to provide translation of the state constitution.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Hawaiian Affairs and Higher Education that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 560 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committees on Judiciary and Labor and Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Hawaiian Affairs and Higher Education,

________________________________ KAIALI'I KAHELE, Chair

________________________________ MAILE S.L. SHIMABUKURO, Chair