STAND. COM. REP. NO.  220-14

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2014

RE:   H.B. No. 1883

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Veterans, Military, & International Affairs, & Culture and the Arts, to which was referred H.B. No. 1883 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR THE VETERANS TREATMENT COURT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to address the unique needs of veterans who are in the criminal justice system and who have mental illness and substance abuse issues arising from their military service.  Specifically, this measure appropriates funds for the Veterans Treatment Court established in the First Circuit.

The Judiciary, Office of Veterans Services, Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, Advisory Board on Veterans' Services, Partners in Care, PHOCUSED-Protecting Hawaii's Ohana, Children, Under Served, Elderly, and Disabled, Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii, Catholic Charities Hawaii, and several concerned individuals 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. 1883 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