HI HCR108

Urges the State of Hawaii to address the lack of language support in services, programs, and activities for persons with limited English proficiency.

Directs the State to remove obstacles to hiring bilingual and multilingual employees and recognize language skills as critical workforce competencies.

Calls for promoting the use and study of languages other than English and expanding their functional use in the State workforce.

Directs the State to foster an environment welcoming non-English language use in public settings and implement workplace training and educational programs addressing bias and discrimination related to language use.

Commends the University of Hawaii's language programs, Department of Education's English Language Learner programs, Office of Language Access, and other organizations promoting linguistic diversity.