STAND. COM. REP. NO. 515
Honolulu, Hawaii
, 2005
RE: H.B. No. 8
H.D. 1
Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twenty-Third State Legislature
Regular Session of 2005
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committee on Public Safety & Military Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 8 entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MILITARY SERVICE,"
begs leave to report as follows:
The purpose of this bill is to express the deep appreciation and gratitude of the people of Hawaii to the loved ones of members of the military by establishing a Hawaii Medal of Honor and awarding it to those who sacrificed their lives in defense of our nation and its freedoms.
The State Department of Defense, Hawaii National Guard Enlisted Association, and a concerned individual testified in support of this bill. The Office of Veterans Services supported the intent of this measure.
Many individuals with Hawaii ties are currently serving in hostile combat zones in Afghanistan and Iraq and are laying their lives on the line on a daily basis to protect the freedoms we all enjoy. Awarding individuals who make the ultimate sacrifice in service to their country is a small token of our gratitude.
Your Committee has amended this bill by:
(1) Requiring that recipients of the Hawaii Medal of Honor must have been killed in action;
(2) Inserting the names of members of the military killed in action as of February 14, 2005, in Iraq or Afghanistan since the beginning of combat operations in Iraq or Afghanistan;
(3) Adding the category of "serving in a combat zone as designated by presidential order" as a qualification for the Hawaii Medal of Honor;
(4) Specifying that members of the Hawaii National Guard, United States military reserves, or regular United States armed forces who attended a public or private educational institution in Hawaii at some period in their lives and were killed in action are also eligible to receive the Hawaii Medal of Honor;
(5) Requiring, as a condition of receipt of the Hawaii Medal of Honor, introduction of a concurrent resolution by the President of the state Senate, Speaker of the state House of Representatives, or their duly authorized representative; and
(6) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency and style.
Your Committee respectfully requests that the Speaker of the House and the Senate President convene an interim working group to study the technical aspects of awarding the Hawaii Medal of Honor and designate members that may consist of the Director of the Department of Defense, chairs of the House Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs and the Senate Committee on Education and Military Affairs, and other members that they may deem appropriate. Members of this working group will determine the design of the medal, award ceremony protocol, future awards, and other issues relating to the Hawaii Medal of Honor.
As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Public Safety & Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 8, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 8, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Legislative Management.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Public Safety & Military Affairs,
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____________________________ KEN ITO, Chair |