STAND. COM. REP. NO.  446-12

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2012

RE:   H.B. No. 1974

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2012

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Public Safety & Military Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 1974 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO VETERANS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to remove the county residency requirements for the burial of members and veterans of the United States Armed Services and their dependents in veterans cemeteries within the respective counties.

The Oahu Veterans Council and two individuals testified in support of this measure.  The Office of Veterans Services of the Department of Defense testified in support of the concepts of the measure.  

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1)  Conforming Hawaii's eligibility requirements for the burial of members of the United States Armed Services and their dependents to the criteria established by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs regarding eligibility for burial in a national cemetery; and 

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Public Safety & Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1974, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1974, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

HENRY J.C. AQUINO, Chair