STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1158

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2013

RE:   S.B. No. 540

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 S.B. No. 540 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO VETERANS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to remove the uncertainty of burial provisions for veterans and their families.  Specifically, this measure:

     (1)  Makes permanent the requirements for the burial of members of the United States Armed Forces and their dependents in veterans cemeteries in Hawaii; and

     (2)  Ensures that the criteria for the burial of members of the United States Armed Forces and their dependents in veterans cemeteries in Hawaii conform with the United States Department of Veterans Affairs' eligibility requirements for burial in a national or state cemetery.   

The National Association for Uniformed Services-Hawaii Chapter (HI-1); Department of Hawaii, Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States; Papa Ola Lokahi; and a concerned individual testified in support of this measure.  The Office of Veterans Services testified in support of the intent 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 S.B. No. 540 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

K. MARK TAKAI, Chair