STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3220

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.C.R. No. 51

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 51 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE GOVERNOR TO PROCLAIM THE STATE OF HAWAII AS A PURPLE HEART STATE IN HONOR OF THE SERVICE AND SACRIFICE OF OUR NATION'S UNIFORMED ARMED SERVICES PERSONNEL WHO WERE WOUNDED OR KILLED WHILE PROTECTING OUR FREEDOM,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the Governor to proclaim the State of Hawaii as a Purple Heart State in honor of the service and sacrifice of our nation's uniformed armed services personnel who were wounded or killed while protecting our freedom.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Defense; Military Order of the Purple Heart; Rainbow Chapter 483, Military Order of the Purple Heart; Oahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawaii; and three individuals.

Your Committee finds that the contributions and sacrifices of the members of the military from Hawaii have been vital in maintaining the freedoms and way of life enjoyed by our citizens. The Purple Heart Medal is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President of the United States to those military service personnel who are killed or wounded while serving. Your Committee finds that many citizens of our community have earned the Purple Heart Medal as a result of being wounded while engaging in combat with an enemy force, a singularly meritorious act of essential service. Therefore, your Committee finds that it is important to demonstrate proper admiration and appreciation for those who serve our country in the armed forces, particularly those service members who are killed or wounded while serving. Accordingly, this measure requests the Governor to proclaim Hawaii as a Purple Heart State.

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 concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 51 and recommends its adoption.

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