STAND. COM. REP. NO. 724

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 31

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 31 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to provide monetary assistance to a deceased veteran's survivor or an interested party to transport the remains of the veteran to the Philippines for funeral and burial services.

     More specifically, the bill provides for a maximum grant for a veteran who joined the New Filipino Scouts upon submittal of an unpaid, itemized invoice by a survivor or interested party.

     Your Committee received comments in support of the measure from: the Office of Veteran Affairs; the State Advisory Board on Veterans Services; the Filipino Coalition for Solidarity; the Oahu Filipino Community Council; the Nursing, Advocates & Mentors, Inc.; the National Federation of Filipino American Associations, Region 12; the United Filipino Council of Hawaii; the Asian American Network for Cancer Awareness Research and Training; and the Philippine Nurses Association-Hawaii.

     Your Committee finds that under current law, many deceased Filipino veterans' survivors and interested parties cannot afford to transfer the remains of the veteran to the Philippines.  In addition, only some Filipino veterans are eligible for interment at state or federal veterans' cemeteries.

     Your Committee finds that this bill resolves the issue by providing financial support in the form of a grant for veterans who joined the New Filipino Scouts, were United States citizens, and residents of Hawaii.  In addition, only those survivors of veterans that are not eligible for interment in a state or federal veterans' cemetery are eligible for the grant.  After enactment, survivors of these veterans and interested parties can provide the veterans with a proper burial in the Philippines.

     Your Committee amended the bill to make technical, nonsubstantive changes for consistence, clarity, and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 31, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 31, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair