Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 1479, S.D. 1, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to ensure that Hawaii's veterans' cemeteries are maintained at the level they deserve by appropriating sufficient funds for this purpose.

Currently, there are seven county veterans' cemeteries on the Neighbor Islands, and the Hawaii State Veterans Cemetery is located in Kaneohe, Oahu. Because the State contributes less than 20 percent of the operating costs of the county cemeteries, each county must shoulder the majority of the costs to maintain these facilities. As a result, inadequate funds are available to properly care for these cemeteries. In addition, the Hawaii State Veterans Cemetery has also fallen into serious disrepair.

The Disabled American Veterans, Department of Hawaii; Oahu Veterans Council; County of Hawaii Department of Parks and Recreation; and a member of the Kauai County Council testified in support of this bill. The Department of Defense also supported this bill, provided that its passage does not adversely affect its priorities contained in the Executive Budget.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1479, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Finance.