STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1068

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: H.B. No. 110

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 Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 110, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO LICENSE PLATES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to authorize the use of diacritical marks for Hawaiian words on special number plates.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Customer Services of the City and County of Honolulu and one individual. You Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Honolulu Police Department.

Your Committee finds that ‘okina and kahakō are used to indicate appropriate pronunciation to some speakers of ‘Ōlelo Hawai‘i and that the absence or presence of diacritical marks, and their associated pronunciation, can result in a completely different meaning of the words. Your Committee further finds that this measure affords the proper respect to ‘Ōlelo Hawai‘i when used in special number plates.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 110, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs,

____________________________

DAVID A. TARNAS, Chair