STAND. COM. REP. NO. 56

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2019

RE: H.B. No. 671

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Public Safety, Veterans, & Military Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 671 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO VETERANS SERVICES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to allow a surviving, unmarried, same-sex partner of a deceased veteran to be interred at any state veterans cemetery if the surviving spouse provides evidence that the couple would have been married but for a state law prohibiting same-sex marriage.

The LGBT Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, Rainbow Family 808, O‘ahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, and several individuals testified in support of this measure. The State Office of Veterans Services provided comments.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Specifying that a surviving spouse provide written evidence that includes a joint bank account, an affidavit, or a rental agreement;

(2) Changing the effective date to January 1, 2050, to promote further discussion; and

(3) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Public Safety, Veterans, & Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 671, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 671, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Public Safety, Veterans, & Military Affairs,

____________________________

GREGG TAKAYAMA, Chair