Bill > SB109

This bill amends Hawaii's language law to provide greater recognition and legal status to the Hawaiian language, building on a 1978 constitutional amendment that established Hawaiian as an official state language. Specifically, the bill modifies existing statutes to require that when a law was originally drafted in Hawaiian and has not been subsequently amended or reenacted in English, the Hawaiian version of the law shall be considered legally binding, instead of automatically defaulting to the English version in cases of discrepancy. The bill's context is grounded in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which supports indigenous peoples' rights to preserve and use their native languages. By prioritizing the Hawaiian version of laws under certain conditions, the legislation aims to honor Hawaiian cultural heritage, support language preservation, and provide legal recognition to the indigenous language. The bill's effective date is set far in the future on July 1, 3000, which appears to be either a typographical error or a placeholder date. The underlying motivation is to protect and elevate the status of the Hawaiian language in state legal proceedings and documentation.

Government Affairs, Justice

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=SB&billnumber=109&year=2026