STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2844

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 2351

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2010

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committees on Public Safety and Military Affairs and Transportation, International and Intergovernmental Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 2351 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO VETERANS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to require an applicant for a special number plate for military service to provide a copy of the applicant's most recent discharge paper or separation document that indicates an honorable discharge or general (under honorable conditions) discharge from active duty.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from one state government agency, one county agency, and one private entity.  Written testimony presented to the Committees may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

     The intent of this measure is to preserve the integrity of the special license plates available to veterans of military service.  Veteran license plates identify individuals who have provided military service to this country and are a symbol of the gratitude of the general public for their honorable service.  Individuals with a less than honorable discharge should not be afforded this recognition.  This measure remedies this situation by requiring proof of honorable discharge or general discharge under honorable conditions.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Public Safety and Military Affairs and Transportation, International and Intergovernmental Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2351, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2351, S.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Public Safety and Military Affairs and Transportation, International and Intergovernmental Affairs,

____________________________ J. KALANI ENGLISH, Chair

____________________________ WILL ESPERO, Chair