SB 642 Summary

• Establishes English and Hawaiian as official languages of Hawaii and requires Hawaiian be used for public acts and transactions, with exceptions allowing English to remain binding in cases of irreconcilable differences unless the law was originally drafted in Hawaiian.

• Incorporates Article XIII of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples into Hawaii Revised Statutes, recognizing Native Hawaiians' right to revitalize, use, and transmit Hawaiian language, oral traditions, and cultural heritage.

• Mandates the Office of Language Access provide competent oral interpretation and written translations of vital documents to Hawaiian language speakers seeking government services, on the same basis as limited English proficient persons.

• Requires state and county agencies use ʻokina (glottal stops) and kahakō (macron diacritical marks) in Hawaiian language documents, except when documents are submitted by the general public or specifically designed for native speakers.

• Effective upon approval and takes effect immediately upon signature by the governor.