STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2056

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2489

       S.D. 1

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2012

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Public Safety, Government Operations, and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 2489 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE MILITIA,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

     (1)  Establish an employer income tax credit for taxpayers who maintain employee insurance coverage for National Guard members for the duration of the call to active duty;

     (2)  Expand the reasons for which the Governor or the Governor's designated representative may call the National Guard into active service;

     (3)  Authorize the Adjutant General to order the National Guard or other component of the militia into active service for certain nonemergency purposes; and

     (4)  Incorporate certain rights granted to the National Guard under certain federal laws into statute.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Oahu Veterans Center.  Comments were received from the Department of Taxation and Tax Foundation of Hawaii.

     Your Committee finds that members of the National Guard who are called into active service should enjoy continued employee insurance coverage while deployed on active duty.  This is particularly critical to dependents of the members of the National Guard with regard to health insurance.  Your Committee further finds that the Governor and Adjutant General should have greater authority to utilize the National Guard for assistance in various circumstances, including cases of public disaster or danger from flood, fire, storm, earthquake, civil disturbances, or terrorist events.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by 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. 2489, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2489, 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