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Disability board and advocacy groups back SB 2109 language-access measures; committee defers
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Summary
Senate Bill 2109 — an omnibus emergency-preparedness communications bill — drew support from the Disability and Communication Access Board and immigrant-rights advocates seeking funding for language-access planning. The committee accepted testimony and deferred decision to March 25, 2026.
The House Public Safety Committee also heard testimony on Senate Bill 2109, an omnibus measure related to emergency preparedness communications. Christine Pagano of the Disability and Communication Access Board said DCAB stands on its written testimony and asked for a small amendment to language in section 6, chapter 127A of the Hawaii Revised Statutes.
“DCAB...we stand on our testimony, our written testimony. We want to just amend just a little bit of the language in section 6 chapter 127A, HRS,” Christine Pagano said.
Miss Gillette, representing the Hawaii Coalition for Immigrant Rights on Zoom, said past work secured a full-time language-access coordinator at HyEMA but additional ongoing funding is needed to produce evergreen and emergency materials in multiple languages. She said rapid incidents show that last-minute translation is inadequate and gave Tongan as an example of a needed language for North Shore evacuation notices.
Chair Belotti confirmed a number of organizational supporters for SB 2109 — including HyEMA, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, the Hawaii Disability Rights Center, and others — and said the committee would defer decision-making to the next meeting on March 25 at 11:00 AM. No amendments or votes were taken on March 20.
