STAND. COM. REP. NO.  63

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2013

RE:   H.B. No. 167

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. 167 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MILITARY BENEFITS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to protect the disability benefits earned by disabled veterans by prohibiting courts from considering federal disability benefits awarded to a military veteran when determining the disposition of property pursuant to a divorce decree.

The Oahu Veterans Council and a concerned individual testified in support of this bill.

     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. 167 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