STAND. COM. REP. NO.  212

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2013

RE:   H.B. No. 161

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Veterans, Military, & International Affairs, & Culture and the Arts, to which was referred H.B. No. 161 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO VETERANS DISABILITY BENEFITS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to limit the exposure of veterans' federal disability benefits to creditors by:

     (1)  Exempting the benefits from the claims of creditors;

     (2)  Providing that the benefits are not subject to attachment, levy or seizure, as provided by federal law; and

     (3)  Prohibiting the awarding of the benefits to another person;

provided that the foregoing shall not apply to that portion of service-connected disability benefits that are subject to child and spousal support enforcement under federal law.

The Oahu Veterans Council submitted testimony in support of this measure. The Office of Veterans Services supported the intent of this measure.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Veterans, Military, & International Affairs, & Culture and the Arts that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 161 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Veterans, Military, & International Affairs, & Culture and the Arts,

____________________________

K. MARK TAKAI, Chair