CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 114-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: S.B. No. 3290

S.D. 2

H.D. 1

C.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sirs:

Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 3290, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Require the Disability and Communication Access Board to convene a working group to study the state of American Sign Language interpretation services in Hawaii; and

(2) Require the working group to submit a report to the Legislature with the assistance of the Department of Health.

Your Committee on Conference finds that American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters provide a critical service to deaf, hard of hearing, deaf-blind, and hearing individuals in the State that wish to effectively communicate with each other in a variety of settings and circumstances. Your Committee on Conference further finds that there remains a critical need to develop an ASL interpreter workforce and to acquire additional information on the state of ASL interpretation services in the State. This measure will provide critical data to ensure greater access for individuals to receive ASL interpretation services in the State during emergencies and daily life activities and address other current and future issues relating to this critical service.

Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting language to clarify that no member of the working group shall be made subject to chapter 84, Hawaii Revised Statues, solely because of that member's participation as a member of the working group; and

(2) Making it effective upon its approval.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 3290, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3290, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

____________________________ DELLA AU BELATTI Co-Chair	____________________________ JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA Chair
____________________________ LISA MARTEN Co-Chair	____________________________ DRU KANUHA Co-Chair
____________________________ SCOTT Y. NISHIMOTO Co-Chair