STAND. COM. REP. NO. 93

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 1428

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Intergovernmental and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 1428 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO VETERANS' SERVICES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to raise the salary cap for the position of Director of the Office of Veterans Services from an amount not to exceed sixty-nine per cent of the salary of the Director of Human Resources Development to an amount not exceeding seventy-four per cent of the salary of the Director of Human Resources Development.

     Testimony in support of this measure was received by the Department of Defense, the Advisory Board on Veterans Services, and the Department of Human Resources Development

     Your Committee finds that due to the increased deployments of the Hawaii National Guard and Hawaii-based Reserve components, the State's veteran population is expected to continue to grow.  The Office of Veterans Services is responsible for the development and management of policies and programs related to veterans and their families.  With the increase in veterans, and the responsibilities and expertise that is required for this position, the current compensation limitation is too low and has not kept pace with the inflation.  Under existing law, the maximum salary allowable for this position is $64,608.84.  This measure would allow the Governor to increase the salary up to approximately $70,670.00, based on the salary recommendations for department heads contained in the 2004 Executive Salary Commission Report.  This measure provides for fair compensation for the Director of the Office Veterans Services position.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Intergovernmental and Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1428 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Intergovernmental and Military Affairs,

____________________________

LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair