Measure to establish American Sign Language as an official language in Hawaiʻi advances | Hawai’i Public Radio

A bill to recognize American Sign Language as an official language in Hawaiʻi is moving through the state Legislature.

House Bill 834 crossed into the Senate earlier this month, and passed through that chamber’s Health and Human Services committee on Monday.

The committee also recommended passing a resolution to create an ASL interpreter workforce working group, whose goal would be to increase the number of interpreters in the state.

Jackie Emmart is a Kāneʻohe-based ASL interpreter, who during testimony said at least four interpreters have left the state in the last year.

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