Bill Text: HI SB2511 | 2018 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Relating To Language Access.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2018-04-03 - The committee(s) on FIN recommend(s) that the measure be deferred. [SB2511 Detail]
Download: Hawaii-2018-SB2511-Amended.html
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THE SENATE |
S.B. NO. |
2511 |
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TWENTY-NINTH LEGISLATURE, 2018 |
S.D. 2 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
H.D. 1 |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
RELATING TO LANGUAGE ACCESS.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. The legislature formerly recognized and acknowledged that language is a barrier for those living in Hawaii who have identified themselves as being limited in English proficiency. Consequently, the legislature passed Act 290, Session Laws of Hawaii 2006, and subsequently passed Act 201, Session Laws of Hawaii 2012, to ensure that limited English proficient individuals have meaningful access to state-provided and state-funded services in Hawaii. These Acts established the Hawaii office of language access to provide oversight, central coordination, and technical assistance to twenty-six state agencies and more than one hundred state-funded agencies in their implementation of the requirements of Hawaii's language access law.
The technical assistance provided to
agencies by the office of language access includes needs assessments,
assistance with language access plans, training of agency staff, work with
interpreters and translators, data collection, reporting, and more. The office of language access also conducts
periodic compliance monitoring and provides complaint resolution.
Furthermore, Act 217, Session Laws of
Hawaii 2013, created the statewide language access resource center within the
office of language access. The
objectives of the statewide language access resource center are laudable but
require significant time and resources for planning, coordination, and
management. The current staff of the
office of language access have been providing their time and expending a
tremendous amount of resources to get the statewide
language access resource center off the ground. This work was envisioned to be the
responsibility of the staff of the statewide language access resource
center. However, staff for the statewide
language access resource center have yet to be hired.
The office of language access is
understaffed and has been operating with only three authorized full-time
equivalent positions since 2013. As a
result, the office of language access has not been able to fully perform its
statutorily mandated compliance and technical assistance functions. Accordingly, many state agencies have been
unable to implement important aspects of their language access plans, and many
individuals limited in English proficiency in Hawaii continue to lack meaningful
access to government services, programs, and activities.
The purpose of this Act is to establish two
permanent full-time equivalent positions within the office of language access
to assist state agencies and state-funded agencies in implementing the
requirements of Hawaii's language access law.
SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2018-2019 for the establishment of two full-time equivalent (2.0 FTE) permanent program specialist positions within the office of language access to assist state agencies and state-funded agencies in implementing the requirements of Hawaii's language access law.
The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of health for the purposes of this Act.
SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 3000.
Report Title:
Office of Language Access; Program Specialist Positions; Appropriation
Description:
Appropriates moneys for the establishment of 2 full-time equivalent (2.0 FTE) permanent program specialist positions within the office of language access to assist state agencies and state-funded agencies in implementing the requirements of Hawaii's language access law. (SB2511 HD1)
The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.
