STAND. COM. REP. NO. 36

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 804

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. 804 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MILITARY RESERVE COMPONENTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to create a special fund to reimburse service members of the Hawaii National Guard and Hawaii National Guard Reserves for premiums paid under service members' group life insurance policies while service members are deployed on active duty to a war zone.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the State of Hawaii Department of Defense, the Hawaii National Guard Enlisted Association, the Hawaii National Guard Association, the National Guard Association of Hawaii Insurance Trust, and the Armed Services Committee of the Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii.

     Testimony in opposition to this measure was submitted by the Department of Budget and Finance.

     Your Committee finds that members of Hawaii's National Guard and National Guard Reserves make many sacrifices for the people of Hawaii and the United States.  The intent of this measure is to provide reimbursement for premiums paid for group life insurance by service members of the Hawaii National Guard and Hawaii National Guard Reserves who are deployed to a war zone.

     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. 804 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