STAND. COM. REP. NO. 896

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.R. No. 20

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committees on Public Safety and Military Affairs and Judiciary and Government Operations, to which was referred S.R. No. 20 entitled:

"SENATE RESOLUTION URGING THE UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE TO ISSUE POSTAL STAMPS HONORING THE WORLD WAR II JAPANESE-AMERICAN NISEI SOLDIERS, OTHER DISTINGUISHED MILITARY UNITS IN UNITED STATES HISTORY, AND AMERICAN'S WHO FOUGHT AGAINST DISCRIMINATION BASED ON RACE OR NATIONAL ORIGIN,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to:

     (1)  Urge the Postmaster General to approve the issuance of a commemorative stamp that honors the significant contributions of the Nisei soldiers for the United States Army during World War II;

     (2)  Urge the Postmaster General to approve the issuance of a commemorative stamp that honors other distinguished United States military units that have served throughout history; and

     (3)  Urge the Postmaster General to approve the issuance of a commemorative stamp that honors individuals and organizations who made significant contributions to enhancing race relations and who worked toward ending discrimination based on race or national origin in the United States.

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by two private organizations and one individual.  Written testimony presented to your Committees may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

     Your Committees find that honoring the Nisei soldiers by issuing a commemorative stamp will provide much deserved public notoriety to the efforts, bravery, and sacrifices made by the soldiers during World War II.  Your Committees also find that honoring other distinguished United States military units as well as those individuals and organizations that worked toward ending discrimination based on race or national origin in the United States with a commemorative stamp is well-deserving and long overdue.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purpose of clarity.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Public Safety and Military Affairs and Judiciary and Government Operations that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.R. No. 20, as amended herein, and recommend its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.R. No. 20, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Public Safety and Military Affairs and Judiciary and Government Operations,

____________________________ BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair

____________________________ WILL ESPERO, Chair