STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3880

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 1762

H.D. 1

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 1762, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to strengthen efforts to improve access to government services by persons having limited English proficiency.

More specifically, the measure:

(1) Requires the Office of Language Access to submit an annual report to the Governor and Legislature regarding the compliance of state agencies and certain other entities with state and federal language access laws; and

(2) Appropriates moneys for the:

(A) Establishment of one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) limited English proficiency language coordinator position in the Office of Language Access;

(B) Operating expenses of the Office of Language Access to ensure compliance with language access laws; and

(C) Development by the Office of Language Access of a comprehensive statewide plan to increase language access.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, Department of Human Services, Common Cause Hawaii, Hawaii Friends of Civil Rights, Hawaii Coalition for Immigrant Rights, Catholic Charities Hawaii, The Legal Clinic, Hawaii Children's Action Network Speaks!, Hawaii Public Health Institute, Waipahu Safe Haven Center, and four individuals.

Your Committee received written comments in opposition to this measure from one individual.

Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Office of Language Access, Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, and Department of Budget and Finance.

Your Committee finds that the comprehensive statewide plan and annual report required by this measure, along with the measure's funding and staffing support for the Office of Language Access, represent a multifaceted approach to improving language access in the State.

Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical nonsubstantive amendments for purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1762, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1762, H.D. 1, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

________________________________

DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair