STAND. COM. REP. NO.  64

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2013

RE:   H.B. No. 525

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. 525 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FAMILY COURTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to support veterans by prohibiting courts from considering a person's federal veterans disability benefits in determining whether to award support and maintenance allowances or the amount of such allowance to the person's spouse or former spouse.

The Oahu Veterans Council testified in support of this measure.  The Office of Veterans Services testified in support of 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. 525 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