STAND. COM. REP. NO.  97

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2017

RE:   H.B. No. 418

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Veterans, Military, & International Affairs, & Culture and the Arts, to which was referred H.B. No. 418 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MILITARY BENEFITS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to prohibit the courts, in making a disposition of property relating to the dissolution of marriage, from indemnifying or awarding any other income or property of a veteran to the veteran's spouse or former spouse for any prejudgment or postjudgment waiver or reduction in military retirement or retainer pay related to the receipt of disability benefits awarded to the veteran for service-connected disabilities.

The Office of Veterans Services and National Association for Uniformed Services supported this measure.  The Family Law Section of the Hawaii State Bar Association and a concerned individual opposed this measure.  

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Veterans, Military, & International Affairs, & Culture and the Arts that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 418 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Veterans, Military, & International Affairs, & Culture and the Arts,

____________________________

KEN ITO, Chair