STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2942

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 2489

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs, 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 and intent of this measure is to appropriate funds for the establishment of a veterans services counselor IV position within the Office of Veterans' Services to assist all veterans, with a primary focus on female veterans, who served on active duty.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Defense, Office of Veterans Services, Women Veterans Committee, Hawaii State Democratic Women's Caucus, Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women, Planned Parenthood Votes Northwest and Hawaii, Veterans of Foreign Wars Hawaii Legislative Liaison, and four individuals.

     Your Committee finds that women have served honorably and courageously in the armed services of the United States since the American Revolution.  At present, almost fifteen percent of the United States armed services consists of women, and female veterans are increasing exponentially in number.  The needs of female veterans and the challenges that they face in getting services are often different from those of male veterans.  Your Committee finds that the existing support network for veterans is not sufficient to meet the needs of female veterans.  This measure will take steps to address that shortfall.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs 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 Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs,

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CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair