STAND. COM. REP. NO. 716

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 343

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 343 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO VETERANS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to exempt qualified totally and permanently disabled veterans from paying state motor vehicle registration fees.

Specifically, the measure:

     (1)  Exempts qualifying veterans who are totally and permanently disabled as a result of military service from paying state motor vehicle registration fees for registrations that occur on or after September 1, 2015; and

     (2)  Requires the Director of the Office of Veterans Services, in consultation with the Policy Advisory Board on Veterans Services, to annually report to the Legislature and Department of Taxation the total number of disabled veterans who qualify for the exemption from the annual motor vehicle registration fees provided by this measure.

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Defense - Office of Veterans Services and three individuals.  Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Department of Transportation and the Tax Foundation of Hawaii.

     Your Committee finds that the sacrifices made by veterans who suffered service-related injuries that left them one hundred percent disabled should be acknowledged and that this measure would provide but a small token of the gratitude, recognition, and support that these veterans deserve.

     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. 343 and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

________________________________

JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair