STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1034

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 1999

                                   RE:  H.B. No. 1298
                                        




Honorable Norman Mizuguchi
President of the Senate
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 1999
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Transportation and Intergovernmental
Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 1298 entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO BURIALS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds to
provide financial assistance for the burials of Filipino
soldiers.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure
from the Office of Veterans Services, the Advisory Board on
Veterans Services, WW II Fil-Am Veterans Hawaii Chapter, and one
individual.

     Your Committee finds that during World War II, over 200,000
Filipino soldiers were mobilized under the U.S. Armed Forces in
the Far East under General MacArthur.  Although these soldiers
courageously risked their lives to protect American values, only
Filipino veterans who served in the U.S. armed forces or joined
the Philippine Scouts before October 6, 1945, are entitled to be
buried in a national or state veterans cemetery.

     Your Committee believes this measure will ensure that the
families of these valiant men who served honorably in active duty
will be able to provide a proper burial for these veterans.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Transportation and Intergovernmental Affairs that is

 
a                                                     HB1298
                                   STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1034
                                   Page 2


attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the
intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1298 and recommends that it pass
Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and
Means.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committee on Transportation
                                   and Intergovernmental Affairs,



                                   ______________________________
                                   CAL KAWAMOTO, Chair

 
a                                                     HB1298