STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1091

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 632

       H.D. 1

       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. 632, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO POLICY ADVISORY BOARD ON VETERANS' SERVICES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to ensure that the membership of the Policy Advisory Board on Veterans' Services represents the full range of veterans' interests by requiring the Governor, in appointing members, to ensure that all minority viewpoints are represented, including issues of concern to women veterans.

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by two individuals.  Testimony in opposition of this measure was submitted by one state agency.  Written testimony presented to the Committee may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

     Your Committee finds that a Board comprising members from a variety of backgrounds will be better suited to equitably resolve issues that are of concern to veterans.  Your Committee also finds that requiring membership on the Board to include women members will help to specifically address the concerns of women veterans.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Deleting the Governor's requirement to appoint members that represent the viewpoints of all minorities, including those concerns of women; and

     (2)  Adding the requirement that three members of the Policy Advisory Board on Veterans' Services shall be women.

     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. 632, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 632, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

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

____________________________

WILL ESPERO, Chair