STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1067

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 1831

       H.D. 2

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 1831, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MILITARY AFFAIRS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to establish the military affairs liaison special fund to support a qualified nonprofit entity into which shall be deposited general fund appropriations.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from one private organization.  Testimony in opposition was received from one government entity.  Written testimony presented to the Committee may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

     Your Committee finds that the presence of the United States military in Hawaii contributes to maintaining the peace and stability of the Asia-Pacific region.  Further, Hawaii's economy benefits from this presence in that the military expends approximately $5,600,000,000 annually in Hawaii and provides employment opportunities to approximately one hundred twenty-five thousand residents.  Next to tourism, military expenditures are currently the largest source of revenues to Hawaii's economy.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by renaming the military liaison special fund to military liaison trust fund, and by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1831, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1831, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

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

____________________________

WILL ESPERO, Chair