STAND. COM. REP. NO.  997

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2013

RE:   S.B. No. 551

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 1

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. 551, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO A MEMORIAL,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to recognize the sacrifices and contributions of veterans from Hawaii who served in the Persian Gulf War, Operation Desert Storm, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation New Dawn, and Operation Enduring Freedom, and service members who engaged in the Global War on Terrorism, Homeland Defense, and Operation Noble Eagle, as well as those who have protected our borders by land, sea, and air by requiring the Office of Veterans Services, with the assistance of the Department of Accounting and General Services and Department of Defense, to develop plans to establish a memorial honoring the veterans of these campaigns within the Historic District of Honolulu. 

The National Association for Uniformed Services-Hawaii Chapter (HI-1), Department of Hawaii-Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post Commander 3855, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 970, Veterans of Foreign Wars-Hawaii, and a concerned individual testified in support of this measure.  The Department of Land and Natural Resources, Department of Accounting and General Services, and Office of Veterans Services supported the intent of this bill.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Specifying that the State Historic Preservation Division shall also assist the Office of Veterans Services in developing plans to establish the memorial;

     (2)  Deleting language specifying that the memorial be placed in the Historic District of Honolulu;

     (3)  Specifying that the State Historic Preservation Division shall also assist the Office of Veterans Services in submitting the report of their findings and recommendations on the development plans to establish the memorial to the Legislature; and

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

     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. 551, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 551, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, 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