HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	1264
TWENTY-NINTH LEGISLATURE, 2017
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

RELATING TO THE HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE.

 

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 

     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that article XV, section 4, of the Hawai‘i state constitution establishes Hawaiian as one of two official languages of the State of Hawai‘i.  In addition, article X, section 4, of the Hawai‘i state constitution provides in pertinent part, "The State shall promote the study of Hawaiian culture, history and language."  Despite these constitutional provisions, the Hawaiian language is conspicuously absent in official government publications and documents.

     More than thirty years have passed since Hawaiian became an official language of the State.  The State now has more than three thousand prekindergarten through grade twelve students who are learning through Hawaiian and about half that number in university classes each semester.  However, more needs to be done to ensure that those who learn and speak Hawaiian fluently are not acquiring an impractical skill.  As such, government documents and other publically funded publications should be made available in the Hawaiian language.

     The purpose of this Act is to:

     (1)  Require that, beginning on January 1, 2020, all public acts and transactions be in the Hawaiian language; and

     (2)  Provide that upon any request by a member of the public for a Hawaiian language version of any government record, paper, or document, shall make all reasonable efforts to make that government record, paper, or document available in the Hawaiian language.

     SECTION 2.  Section 1-13, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

     "§1-13  Official languages.  English and Hawaiian are the official languages of Hawaii.  Whenever there is found to exist any radical and irreconcilable difference between the English and Hawaiian version of any of the laws of the State, the English version shall be held binding.  Beginning January 1, 2020, Hawaiian shall [not] be required for public acts and transactions."

     SECTION 3.  Section 92-29, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

     "§92-29  Reproduction of government records.  Any public officer having the care and custody of any record, paper, or document may cause the same to be photographed, microphotographed, reproduced on film, or copied to an electronic format.  Any device or electronic storage system used to copy or reproduce the record, paper, or document shall accurately reflect the information in the original thereof in all details.

     Upon request by a member of the public for the Hawaiian language version, the public officer having the care and custody of a government record, paper, or document shall make all reasonable efforts to make it available in the Hawaiian language."

     SECTION 4.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 5.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

 

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________

 

 

Report Title:

Hawaiian Language; Government Documents

 

Description:

Clarifies that Hawaiian shall be required for public acts and transactions beginning on January 1, 2020.  Requires that upon request by a member of the public for the Hawaiian language version, the public officer having the care and custody of a government record, paper, or document shall make all reasonable efforts to make it available in Hawaiian.

 

 

 

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