STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3146

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.R. No. 22

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Government Operations and Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.R. No. 22 entitled:

"SENATE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE GOVERNOR TO ORDER THAT WHENEVER THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES IS FLOWN ON A PERMANENT FLAGPOLE IN FRONT OF THE STATE CAPITOL BUILDING, THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF FAMILIES' POW/MIA FLAG SHALL BE FLOWN ON THE SAME HALYARD,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the Governor to order that whenever the flag of the United States is flown on a permanent flagpole in front of the State Capitol Building, the National League of Families' POW/MIA flag shall be flown on the same halyard.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of Veterans Services and National Association for Uniformed Services, Hawaii Chapter.

     Your Committees find that in 1982, the National League of Families' POW/MIA flag became the only flag, other than the flag of the United States, to fly over the White House in Washington, D.C.  The National League of Families' POW/MIA flag is a tangible and lasting tribute to Prisoners of War or Missing in Action members of the United States Armed Services.  Implementation of this measure will honor the sacrifices made by members of the United States Armed Forces.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Government Operations and Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.R. No. 22 and recommend that it be referred to your Committee on Judiciary and Labor.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Government Operations and Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs,

________________________________ CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair

________________________________ DONNA MERCADO KIM, Chair