STAND. COM. REP. NO. 567

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 604

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. 604 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EXEMPTIONS FROM REGISTRATION FEES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to repeal the requirement that a disabled veteran be in receipt of disability retirement pay in order to be exempt from the payment of annual vehicle registration fees.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Defense, Department of Transportation, State Office of Veterans Services, and one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Tax Foundation of Hawaii.

Your Committee finds that the State must properly appreciate and honor its disabled veterans. State law currently provides disabled veterans with an exemption from registration fees for certain vehicles, provided that the disabled veteran meets certain conditions. Removing the unnecessary condition that the disabled veteran be in receipt of disability retirement pay to qualify for the registration fee exemption would allow more disabled veterans to benefit from this exemption.

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. 604 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