Hawaii-2015-HCR217-Amended

WHEREAS, the Hawaii State Constitution provides for the preservation and promotion of native Hawaiian culture, history, and language; and

WHEREAS, Article X, section 4, of the Hawaii State Constitution, provides that "The State shall promote the study of Hawaiian culture, history, and language"; and

WHEREAS, Article XII, section 7, of the Hawaii State Constitution, provides that "The State reaffirms and shall protect all rights, customarily and traditionally exercised for subsistence, cultural and religious purposes" of native Hawaiians; and

WHEREAS, Article XV, section 4, of the Hawaii State Constitution, affirms that "English and Hawaiian shall be the official languages of Hawaii"; and

WHEREAS, Hawaiian is an official language of the State of Hawaii, which citizens should have a choice to use as their medium of communication and in receiving comprehensive services from state agencies; and

WHEREAS, other countries recognizing more than one official language provide access to government services and documents in all official languages; and

WHEREAS, providing public access to a Judiciary website and legal documents in the Hawaiian language would further the intent of the state constitution and further acknowledge the State's respect for the native language of these islands; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-eighth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2015, the Senate concurring, that the Judiciary is requested to convene a Hawaiian language task force to:

(1) Conduct a feasibility study to examine the scope and cost of implementing Hawaiian language resources on the Judiciary's public website, as well as legal forms and documents;

(2) Develop a plan to ensure that updated information contained on the Judiciary's public website contains the accurate, appropriate, and authentic Hawaiian language version of all documents;

(3) Identify the resources necessary to effectuate the purpose of this measure, such as manaleo, native Hawaiian speakers, who can provide services to timely ensure all information on the website is appropriately updated into the Hawaiian language, information technology software, and the cost of services and software; and

(4) Conduct any other business deemed necessary to carry out the purpose of this measure; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force be comprised of members that represent the diversity of the Hawaiian language as it is spoken throughout the State and include:

(1) One member appointed by the Access to Justice Commission;

(2) Two members appointed by the Judiciary with either operational knowledge or the appropriate information technology background;

(3) A representative from the Hawaii State Bar Association;

(4) A member appointed by the Department of Accounting and General Services with the appropriate information technology background;

(5) A representative from the Department of Budget and Finance;

(6) A representative from the University of Hawaii at Manoa Hawaiian Language Department;

(7) A representative from the University of Hawaii at Hilo College of Hawaiian Language;

(8) A representative from Hale Kuamo‘o;

(9) The Administrator of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs or the Administrator's designee;

(10) The Chair of the House Committee on Ocean, Marine Resources, & Hawaiian Affairs or the Chair's designee; and

(11) The Chair of the Senate Committee on Hawaiian Affairs or the Chair's designee; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Hawaiian language task force is requested to submit a report of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2016; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Chief Justice of the Hawaii Supreme Court; Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs; Comptroller; Director of Finance; President of the University of Hawaii System; Chair of the Hawaii Access to Justice Commission; Director of the Hawaii State Bar Association; and Director of Hale Kuamo‘o.

Report Title:

Judiciary Website; Hawaiian Language Translation

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.C.R. NO.	217
TWENTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE, 2015		H.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII