STAND. COM. REP. NO. 571

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 1217

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 1217 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO STATE MILITARY FORCES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Apply the protections of civil relief for state military forces to persons serving on full-time National Guard duty under title 32 of the United States Code (Title 32); and

(2) Bring provisions in line with the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, codified in title 50 United States Code chapter 50, section 3901 et seq.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Defense.

Your Committee finds that currently a coverage gap exists for service members serving on full-time National Guard duty in the State. The Servicemembers Civil Relief Act covers Title 32 service members mobilized to respond to a national emergency declared by the President but does not extend to service members on full-time National Guard duty pursuant to Title 32, nor are these members covered by the State of Hawaii equivalent, Civil Relief for State Military Forces under chapter 657D, Hawaii Revised Statutes. This measure cures this coverage gap.

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 is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1217 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

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