STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2934

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 3290

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 3290, S.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to require the Disability and Communication Access Board to convene a working group to study and, with the assistance of the Department of Health, report to the Legislature regarding the state of American Sign Language services in Hawaii.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Human Services, Disability and Communication Access Board, and four individuals.

Your Committee recognizes that there is a shortage of American Sign Language interpreters in the State to assist deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals. Your Committee finds that it is crucial to explore means to facilitate the availability of American Sign Language interpretation services statewide.

Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical nonsubstantive changes 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 S.B. No. 3290, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3290, S.D. 2.

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

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair