STAND. COM. REP. NO.  699-16

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2016

RE:   H.B. No. 2489

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 2489 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to address the various problems and needs of all veterans, with a primary focus on female veterans who served on active duty for the full period they were activated, by appropriating funds to establish one full-time equivalent permanent Veterans Services Counselor IV position in the Office of Veterans' Services.

The State Adjutant General and Director of the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, The Hawaii Military Women's Task Sub-Committee, Hawaii State Democratic Women's Caucus, Planned Parenthood Votes Northwest and Hawaii, The Sex Abuse Treatment Center, and an individual testified in support of this measure.  The Office of Veterans' Services commented on this measure.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2489 and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair