STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2757

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 3238

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 3238, 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 establish the Language Access Education and Workforce Development Program at the University of Hawaii to expand the number of translators and interpreters in the State.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, Office of Language Access, University of Hawaii, Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women, AlohaCare, The Legal Clinic, Hawaii Coalition for Immigrant Rights, and six individuals.

Your Committee finds that language access is essential to ensuring equitable access to education, health care, legal services, emergency services, agricultural programs, and government programs for Hawaii's diverse communities. Your Committee further finds that Hawaii's multilingual population requires a trained and culturally competent workforce of translators and interpreters. Accordingly, your Committee finds that the measure's establishment of a biliteracy program within the University of Hawaii is a matter of statewide concern and will improve equitable access for all.

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. 3238, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

________________________________

DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair