STAND. COM. REP. NO.  675

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

RE:   H.B. No. 831

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Public Safety & Military Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 831 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO VETERAN BURIAL GRANTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to honor our veterans by authorizing payment through the veterans' burial grant program to pay directly to a mortuary or crematory an amount not exceeding $2,500 for the cost of:

     (1)  Providing funeral and burial services at the request of a qualifying deceased Filipino veteran's survivor or an interested party; and

     (2)  Transporting the veteran's remains to the Philippines.

     The Office of Veterans Services and Advisory Board on Veterans Services supported the intent of this bill.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

     (1)  Deleting the $2,500 limit for funeral and burial                   services and transportation costs to facilitate further        discussion and

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive changes for clarity,              consistency, and style.

     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. 831, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 831, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Public Safety & Military Affairs,

____________________________

CINDY EVANS, Chair