Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2004

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 3226, S.D. 1, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to prevent certain surviving spouses from losing retirement benefits upon remarriage.

Specifically, this bill allows the surviving spouse or surviving reciprocal beneficiary of a police officer, firefighter, deputy sheriff, or public safety officer to continue to receive pension and other retirement benefits, resulting from their former spouse's employment, upon remarriage, marriage, or entry into a new reciprocal beneficiary relationship.

Your Committee finds that Hawaii's law enforcement and public safety officers are among the finest and bravest officers in the country. Your Committee also finds that these individuals are only able to effectively protect and serve our communities with the support of their families. Given the nature of their positions, law enforcement and public safety officers are exposed to considerable hazards, often work irregular hours, and are faced with a great deal of stress which can put a strain on their home life. Your Committee determines that the sacrifices of not only the law enforcement and public safety officers but also the families should not go unrecognized. Upon the death of a law enforcement or public safety officer, a family is faced with numerous difficulties, with the main objective being to continue their lives, especially when there are surviving minor children involved. Thus, the surviving spouse or surviving reciprocal beneficiary should not be stripped of the deceased law enforcement or public safety officer's retirement benefits due to remarriage, marriage, or entry into a new reciprocal beneficiary relationship.

Accordingly, your Committee has amended the measure by:

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. 3226, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3226, S.D. 2.