STAND. COM. REP. NO. 315-18

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2018

RE: H.B. No. 1944

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Veterans, Military, & International Affairs, & Culture and the Arts, to which was referred H.B. No. 1944 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FILIPINO VETERANS BURIAL ASSISTANCE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to recognize the sacrifices of many World War II Filipino veterans and their final wishes to be buried in their homeland by:

(1) Establishing a Filipino-American Veterans of World War II Burial Assistance Program within the Office of Veterans' Services to provide burial grants to cover the funeral and burial costs of Filipino-American veterans of World War II, including the cost of returning the veterans' remains to the Philippines for burial; and

(2) Appropriating funds to cover the operating expenses of the Filipino-American Veterans of World War II Burial Assistance Program and for the costs of providing the burial grants.

The Office of Veterans Services, Hawai‘i Civil Rights Commission, Oahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, Hawaii Friends of Civil Rights, Hawaii Filipino Lawyers Association, Filipina Advocacy Network, Filipino American Citizens League, and three concerned individuals testified in support of this measure. The Department of Budget and Finance provided comments.

Your Committee has amended this measure by changing its effective date to December 23, 2083, to facilitate further discussion.

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. 1944, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1944, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

MATTHEW S. LOPRESTI, Chair