STAND. COM. REP. NO. 381-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2026

RE: H.B. No. 2488

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committees on Human Services & Homelessness and Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 2488 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE DISABILITY AND COMMUNICATION ACCESS BOARD,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require the Disability and Communication Access Board to study the health care communication needs of patients who are deaf, hard-of-hearing, or deaf-blind.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaiʻi State Council on Developmental Disabilities; State Health Planning and Development Agency; Disability and Communication Access Board; Hawaii Disability Rights Center; and numerous individuals.

Your Committees find that Hawaii residents who are deaf, hard-of-hearing, or deaf-blind face various challenges across different facets of everyday life. A study of the health care communication needs of individuals who are deaf, hard-of-hearing, and deaf-blind would provide direction and identify current resources and gaps, which in turn will lead to strategies for better care.

Your Committees have amended this measure by changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Human Services & Homelessness and Health that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2488, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2488, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Human Services & Homelessness and Health,

____________________________ GREGG TAKAYAMA, Chair

____________________________ LISA MARTEN, Chair