STAND. COM. REP. NO. 91

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 883

       S.D. 1

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Public Safety, Government Operations, and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 883 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SPECIAL NUMBER PLATES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to require the issuance of special motor vehicle license number plates to qualifying Gold Star family members.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from one state agency, one county department, and one individual.

     Your Committee finds that the "Gold Star" category of license plates would allow drivers in Hawaii to recognize and honor the family members who have given up one of their own upon that most sacred altar of freedom.  The Gold Star license plate represents a life that has been lost and reminds everyone that freedom is not free.  The special license plate honors the lives of all of our fallen warriors so that they will never be forgotten.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1)  Adding grandparents to the family members who may qualify for issuance of the special license plate; and

(2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Public Safety, Government Operations, and Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 883, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 883, 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, Government Operations, and Military Affairs,

____________________________

WILL ESPERO, Chair