Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Education and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 1645 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds for a temporary civil service position to coordinate state support of military personnel.

Testimony in support of the measure was submitted by the Hawaii National Guard Enlisted Association, The Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii, and an individual. The Department of Defense submitted comments.

Your Committee finds that the National Guard and Reserve deployments have increased and taken many members away from their family and civilian employment. Many of these members experience a decrease in pay and incentives from their civilian employment which puts hardships on their family households. The temporary position in this measure would provide the National Guard and Reserve members with a person on assist their families during this difficult period.

Upon further consideration, your Committee finds that the Department of Defense currently employs a family support coordinator funded through the federal government. Therefore, your Committee has amended this measure to specify that the temporary position would only assist in the coordination of the joint venture education forum activities, including participation in the Hawaii 3Rs program.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Education and Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1645, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1645, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.