STAND. COM. REP. NO. 666

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 551

       S.D. 2

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 551, S.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish a memorial to honor certain veterans.

Specifically, this measure directs the Office of Veterans Services, with the assistance of the Department of Accounting and General Services and the state Department of Defense, to develop a plan to establish a memorial honoring the veterans of the Persian Gulf War, Operation Desert Storm, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation New Dawn in the historic district of Honolulu.

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Accounting and General Services and the Office of Veterans Services.

Your Committee finds that veterans from Hawaii served valiantly and courageously during the Persian Gulf War, Operation Desert Storm, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation New Dawn.  Construction of a memorial in the historic district of Honolulu to honor that service is wholly appropriate and well deserved.  In addition, the memorial should honor our more recent veterans.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Adding service members of the Global War on Terrorism, Homeland Defense, Operation Noble Eagle, and those who have protected our borders by land, sea, and air, as honorees of the memorial; and

     (2)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 551, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 551, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair