Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 1050, S.D. 1, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to provide, with respect to any deceased World War II Filipino American veteran, direct up-front payment by the State to a mortuary or crematory for providing funeral and burial services and for transporting the remains to the Philippines.

Your Committee finds that World War II Filipino American veterans who died after June 30, 1994, are presently being assisted through a state program, the Veterans Burial Grant Program, administered by the state Office of Veterans Services. Under this program, Filipino American veterans are entitled to receive a burial grant to cover funeral and burial services and transporting remains to the Philippines; however, this grant comes in the way of a reimbursement after a deceased veteran's family or interested party has already made such payments. In some instances, due to the lack of cash for these tremendous up-front costs, the remains of some veterans have not been properly tended to for weeks while the family or interested parties raise the necessary funds.

This measure will provide for a direct payment of up to $2,500 by the Comptroller to a licensed provider of mortuary or crematory services for these Filipino American veterans to avoid any delay in the provision of these services.

Your Committee has amended this measure by deleting the specific amount appropriated to facilitate continuing discussion on this matter.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1050, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1050, S.D. 2.