HB741

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that totally disabled veterans can receive certain benefits, such as property tax exemptions, special housing accommodations, and employment preferences. In Hawaii, 27,252 veterans received disability compensation in 2017, and 3,075 of those veterans were designated as 100 per cent disabled according to the United States Veterans Administration.

Hawaii state law allows for a special "veteran" designation on state driver's licenses and identification cards for the convenience of verifying their status for applicable benefits. Currently, these forms of identification do not include information pertaining to disability status. Since totally disabled veterans receive special benefits beyond those afforded to all veterans, licenses and identification cards should be updated to reflect this information. Adding a special designation on licenses and identification cards is a small extension of appreciation and recognition of their service and sacrifice on behalf of our country, State, and communities.

The purpose of this Act is to add an additional designation to licenses and identification cards reflecting 100 per cent disabled veteran status if desired by the applicant.

SECTION 2. Section 286-109, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:

"(a) Upon payment of the required fee and upon demonstrating the ability to operate a certain category or categories of motor vehicles to the satisfaction of the examiner of drivers, an applicant for a driver's license shall be issued a single license of a design approved by the director of transportation upon which is made a notation of:

(1) The category or categories of motor vehicles the applicant may operate;

(2) Any restrictive provisions to which the license is subject;

(3) Veteran status, if desired by the applicant; provided that the notation shall be on the front of the license and shall not include any designation other than the term "veteran"; [~~and~~]

(4) One hundred per cent disabled veteran status, if desired by the applicant; provided that the notation, or a symbol or an abbreviation thereof, shall be on the front of the license and shall not include any designation other than the term "one hundred per cent disabled veteran"; and

[~~(4)~~] (5) When the license is issued to a person under twenty-one years of age, a statement, in clearly legible print that shall contrast with the other information appearing on the license, which indicates the date on which the person will attain the age of twenty-one years.

As used in this subsection[,]:

"One hundred per cent disabled veteran" means any person who has been designated as such from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, which states that the person sustained service-related disabilities that rendered the person permanently and totally disabled.

[~~"veteran"~~] "Veteran" means any person who served in any of the uniformed services of the United States, including veterans of the Korean conflict and persons who served in the armed forces of the Republic of Korea, who fought under the command of the United Nations led by the United States, during the Korean conflict and are currently United States citizens, and was discharged under conditions other than dishonorable."

SECTION 2. Section 286-111, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (d) to read as follows:

"(d) Every application shall state the full name, date of birth, sex, occupation, veteran status if applicable (including veterans of the Korean conflict and persons who served in the armed forces of the Republic of Korea, who fought under the command of the United Nations led by the United States, during the Korean conflict and are currently United States citizens) and desired by the applicant, one hundred per cent disabled veteran status if applicable and desired by the applicant, social security number if the applicant is eligible for a social security number, the residence address, and business address, if any, of the applicant, shall briefly describe the applicant, and shall state whether the applicant has theretofore been licensed as a driver, and, if so, when and in what state or country, and whether any such license has ever been suspended or revoked, or whether an application has ever been refused, and if so, the date of and reason for the suspension, revocation, or refusal."

SECTION 4. Section 286-303, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (c) to read as follows:

"(c) Every application for an identification card or duplicate of an identification card shall be made on a form developed by the director and furnished by the examiner of drivers, signed by the applicant, and signed by the applicant's parent or guardian if the applicant is under eighteen years of age. The application shall contain the following information:

(1) Name and complete address, including the number and street name, of the applicant's permanent residence;

(2) The applicant's occupation and any pertinent data relating thereto;

(3) The applicant's citizenship status;

(4) The applicant's veteran status, if applicable and desired by the applicant;

(5) The applicant's one hundred per cent disabled veteran status, if applicable and desired by the applicant;

[~~(5)~~] (6) The applicant's date and place of birth;

[~~(6)~~] (7) General description of the applicant, including the applicant's gender, height, weight, hair color, and eye color;

[~~(7)~~] (8) The applicant's left and right index fingerprints or, if clear impressions cannot be obtained, other identifying imprints as specified by rules of the director;

[~~(8)~~] (9) The social security number of the applicant; and

[~~(9)~~] (10) A digitized frontal photograph of the applicant's full face.

Each applicant shall present documentary evidence as required by the examiner of drivers of the applicant's age and identity, and the applicant shall swear or affirm that all information given is true and correct."

SECTION 5. Section 286-305, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (b) to read as follows:

"(b) The examiner of drivers, after obtaining the fingerprint of the applicant as provided in this part and after obtaining the information required by or pursuant to this part, shall issue to each applicant an identification card in a form and with identifying information that the director deems necessary and appropriate, including:

(1) [a] A notation of veteran status, if desired by the applicant, on the front of the card where applicable[~~; provided that such notation shall not include any designation other than the term "veteran"~~]. As used in this subsection, "veteran" means any person who served in any of the uniformed services of the United States and was discharged under conditions other than dishonorable[.]; and

(2) A notation, or a symbol or an abbreviation thereof, of one hundred per cent disabled veteran status, if desired by the applicant, on the front of the card where applicable. As used in this subsection, "one hundred per cent disabled veteran" means any person who has been designated as such from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, which states that the person sustained service-related disabilities that rendered the person permanently and totally disabled;

provided that such notation shall not include any designation other than the term "veteran" or "one hundred per cent disabled veteran"."

SECTION 6. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 7. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2019.

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	741
THIRTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2019
STATE OF HAWAII