Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the House of Representatives to the amendments proposed by the Senate in H.B. No. 115, H.D. 1, S.D. 2, entitled:

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

The purpose of this bill is to recognize and honor the members of the armed forces and their families. Thousands of military service members and their families have been faced with the unexpected news of deployment overseas to protect the freedom and liberty of our state and nation. Not only have active military members stationed in Hawaii been deployed but over 80 percent of Hawaii's own National Guard and reserve components have been sent to Iraq or Afghanistan. These brave men and women of the National Guard and reserve units are citizen-soldiers and have left families, small businesses, jobs, and their homes to protect our freedom.

This bill expresses the appreciation that our state has for our military members by assisting them as follows:

The purpose of Part II is to appropriate moneys to provide for casket liners to avoid sinking graves and rehabilitate the Hawaii State Veterans' Cemetery. Your Committee on Conference finds that the high moisture content and composition of the soil at the cemetery has caused graves and headstones to sink into unsightly holes that desecrate the sanctity of the cemetery. Accordingly, this bill allows the state Office of Veterans' Services to repair the cemetery and maintain the caskets, urns, and headstones that have sunk into the soil.

The State has a solemn obligation to preserve the final resting place of our departed veterans in a manner befitting the supreme sacrifices that they made for this country. This bill is necessary to preserve the peace and tranquility of the final resting place where family and friends may visit departed veterans.

The purpose of Part III is to require the University of Hawaii to establish a program to allow for the readmission of returning military personnel into programs to which they have been previously admitted.

Part III of this bill is intended to facilitate the return of military personnel and their families to their former lives prior to the disruptions caused by an overseas deployment. Your Committee on Conference understands that some University of Hawaii campuses have already established such programs and are currently studying the feasibility of implementing the process at all campuses.

This measure is important to demonstrate our support and respect for our service members and their families.

After careful consideration, your Committee on Conference has amended this bill by:

(7) Amending the effective date as applicable.

Due to the lack of available funding, provisions related to income tax credits and tax exemptions were unable to be included. Nonetheless, the sections that remain illustrate the appreciation that the people of our state have for our uniformed men and women who have dedicated their lives to defending the freedom and liberty of our nation.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 115, H.D. 1, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 115, H.D. 1, S.D. 2, C.D. 1.