Gov. Josh Green signed 13 bills at the state Capitol that aim to improve care for kupuna, encourage awareness and adaptability for disabled individuals, and make access to technology easy for those who are multilingual.
“We have many kupuna in our state,” Green said during Friday’s bill-signing ceremony. “We have many individuals living with life challenges and disabilities, and they are equally powerful in our community when we give everyone a chance.”
Four of the bills are directly related to improving care for kupuna, while three address needs related to those with disabilities.
With 1 in 4 adults in the United States either advanced in age or living with a disability, Green said that many will eventually require some sort of assistance provided in the bills.
Appearing with the governor Friday was State Sen. Henry Aquino (D, Pearl City-Waipahu-West Loch), vice chair of the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services, who said he was happy to be a part of efforts to ensure access to services and programs, especially to the nearly 20% of Hawaii residents for whom English is not the primary language in their household.
State Rep. John Mizuno (D, Kamehameha Heights- Kalihi Valley), who chairs the House Committee on Human Services, described the series of bills signed Friday as having “vision, being bold, having compassion and loving our ohana.”
“This shows that we’re not going to be Oahu-centric when it comes to our disability community,” he said during the ceremony. “We’re an island state. We protect all islands.”
Bills signed
>> House Bill 870 requires the Department of Human Services to implement a pilot program for the blind and visually impaired to provide training and other services to neighbor island residents.
>> House Bill 388 requires the Department of Education to obtain instructional materials in accessible formats for all eligible students.
>> Senate Bill 1378 repeals the landlord exclusion to clarify that any person, corporation or entity is prohibited from knowingly referring or transferring patients to an uncertified or unlicensed care facility.
>> House Bill 218 requires certain pharmacies to provide accessible prescription drug label information to individuals who have difficulty seeing or reading standard printed labels on prescription drug containers. The measure also requires that consumers be informed that prescription drug label information is available in alternate accessible formats.
>> House Bill 278 appropriates funds for the Executive Office on Aging to implement a public health campaign for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.
>> House Bill 794 designates October as “Disability Awareness Month: Employment, Enrichment and Inclusion” in recognition of the employment challenges and successes of those with disabilities.
>> House Bill 834 recognizes American Sign Language as a fully developed, autonomous, natural language with its own grammar, syntax, vocabulary and cultural heritage.
>> House Bill 933 appropriates funds to the Public Utilities Commission to provide free telecommunications access to certain information to those who may have trouble with print materials.
>> Senate Bill 813 requires the Judiciary to conduct a series of studies on interpreter fees.
>> Senate Bill 900 requires the Executive Office on Aging to submit annual progress reports to the Legislature on the Hawaii State Health Insurance Assistance Program.
>> Senate Bill 1373 clarifies the allowable revenues to be deposited into the Executive Office on Aging Administrative Claiming Special Fund and the purposes for which the fund may be used.
>> Senate Bill 1592 appropriates funds for the establishment of three additional program specialist positions within the Executive Office on Aging for the state’s Senior Medicare Patrol Program.
>> House Bill 1081 clarifies the penalty to be assessed against those who intentionally operate a care facility without a certificate or license.
