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. 343 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to coordinate state support for military personnel and their involvement in educational activities by appropriating funds for the hiring of one additional temporary civil service position within the state Department of Defense.

Supportive testimony was submitted by the state Department of Defense, the Armed Services Committee of the Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii, the Hawaii National Guard Enlisted Association, and a member of the Hawaii National Guard.

Your Committee finds that more than two thousand of Hawaii's national guard troops have been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan for periods extending more than one year. This has placed great strain on their families -- especially on their children, as many have experienced difficulties in adjusting to this dramatic change in their daily lives. Many national guard members and their families are also faced with economic concerns due to reduced income as a result of their deployment overseas, or problems with the Army's pay system.

Your Committee accordingly believes that there is a need for the State to provide the national guard with additional staff support to assist these families during this most difficult period.

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. 343 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Finance.