REQUESTING THE ATTORNEY GENERAL TO CONDUCT A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF THE HAWAII REVISED STATUTES TO IDENTIFY PROVISIONS IN WHICH THE TERM "IMPAIRED" OR A SIMILAR TERM IS USED TO DESCRIBE A PERSON WITH A DISABILITY AND TO SUGGEST DISABILITY-INCLUSIVE APPROPRIATE AMENDMENTS.

HCR9

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.C.R. NO.

9

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

Requesting the Attorney General to conduct a
comprehensive review of the Hawaii Revised Statutes to identify provisions in
which the term "impaired" or a similar term is used to describe a
person with a disability and TO suggest disability-inclusive appropriate
amendments
.

WHEREAS, the Hawaii Revised
Statutes contain terminology relating to persons with disabilities, and some of
these terms have developed negative or pejorative connotations over time; and

WHEREAS, disability advocates
increasingly recognize that using certain terms, including the word "impaired"
to describe a person with a disability, may suggest that the individual is
defective, deficient, or broken, which can perpetuate stigmas; and

WHEREAS, modern disability
‑
inclusive
language standards favor terminology that emphasizes respect, uses person
‑
first
or identity
‑
affirming wording, and reflects the lived
experiences of individuals rather than outdated medicalized labels; and

WHEREAS, Utah enacted similar
reforms in 2017 by replacing the statutory uses of "hearing
impairment" with "deaf or hard of hearing" and made other
disability
‑
terminology amendments to modernize and
destigmatize their state laws; and

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WHEREAS, Hawaii laws should
also reflect respect, dignity, and a contemporary understanding of disability
terminology; now, therefore,

����
BE IT
RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Thirty-third Legislature of the
State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2026, the Senate concurring, that the
Attorney General is requested to conduct a comprehensive review of the Hawaii
Revised Statutes to identify provisions in which the term
"
impaired" or a
similar term is used to describe a person with a disability; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that
the Attorney General is requested to recommend amendments that update
terminology using wording that does not carry negative connotations, including
replacing the terms "hearing impaired" and "vision
impaired" with "deaf or hard of hearing" and "low vision,"
while
�
considering other appropriate
alternatives consistent with disability
‑
inclusive language practices
that do not change the effect of the law or conflict with the Americans with
Disabilities Act; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that
the Attorney General is requested to submit a report of any findings and
recommendations, including proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later
than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2027; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that
certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Attorney
General, and Chairperson of the Disability and Communication Access Board.

OFFERED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Disability;
Attorney General; Impaired; Modernize Language; Hawaii Revised Statutes