H.B. 2438 Summary

• Makes knowledge of Hawaiian language a desirable but not mandatory qualification for hiring all state officers and employees.

• Requires state officers and employees whose primary duties involve public relations or dissemination of information to have basic Hawaiian language skills and ability to communicate.

• Requires Hawaii state courts to provide interpretation services in any language requested by persons involved in court proceedings, including Hawaiian.

• Directs the University of Hawaii to develop and implement a program to translate public documents, including the Hawaii State Constitution, into Hawaiian.

• Appropriates general revenues to the University of Hawaii for fiscal year 2018-2019 to support the public document translation program (amount not specified in text).