REPORT TITLE:
Filipino Veterans; Burial


DESCRIPTION:
Enables the office of veterans services to approve requests for
the costs of funeral and burial services for deceased World War
II Filipino veterans and transportation expenses of the veteran's
remains.  Appropriates funds.  (HB645 CD1)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                        645
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES                H.B. NO.           S.D. 2
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 1999                                C.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII                          
                                                             
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                   A  BILL  FOR  AN  ACT

RELATING TO VETERANS RIGHTS AND BENEFITS.



BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 1      SECTION 1.  The purpose of this Act is to provide an
 
 2 alternative to the procedures currently specified in the rules of
 
 3 the office of veterans services to enable the office to provide
 
 4 grants to assist survivors of deceased World War II Filipino
 
 5 veteran or interested parties pay for funeral and burial expenses
 
 6 and costs to transport the veteran's remains to the Philippines.
 
 7      SECTION 2.  The office of veterans services, at the request
 
 8 of a deceased veteran's survivor or an interested party, shall
 
 9 receive, review, and approve requests for payment to:
 
10      (1)  Provide funeral and burial services for a deceased
 
11           World War II Filipino veteran; and
 
12      (2)  Transport the remains of a deceased World War II
 
13           Filipino veteran to the Philippines.
 
14      (b)  Within the amount authorized in this Act, the office
 
15 shall establish the maximum amounts of burial grant funds that
 
16 may be disbursed on behalf of a deceased World War II Filipino
 
17 veteran.
 
18      (c)  The office shall not expend more than the amount
 
19 appropriated for the fiscal year to provide burial grants for
 
20 deceased World War II Filipino veterans.
 

 
Page 2                                                     645
                                     H.B. NO.           S.D. 2
                                                        C.D. 1
                                                        

 
 1      (d)  Specific eligibility criteria, application and appeal
 
 2 procedures, service choices, and invoicing arrangements shall be
 
 3 established by the office.
 
 4      (e)  Payment shall be authorized by the office upon the
 
 5 submission of an invoice reflecting that the services will be
 
 6 satisfactorily performed on behalf of the deceased World War II
 
 7 Filipino veteran.
 
 8      (f)  For the purposes of this section, "World War II
 
 9 Filipino veteran" means any Filipino veteran, who is now a
 
10 citizen of the United States, who served honorably in an active
 
11 duty status in any of the armed services of the United States
 
12 between September 1, 1939, and December 31, 1946.
 
13      SECTION 3.  There is appropriated out of the general
 
14 revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $55,000 or so much
 
15 thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2000-2001 for funeral
 
16 and burial service expenses and costs of transporting deceased
 
17 World War II Filipino veterans back to the Philippines.
 
18      The sum appropriated shall be expended by the office of
 
19 veterans affairs for the purposes of this Act.
 
20      SECTION 4.  This Act does not affect rights and duties that
 
21 matured, and proceedings that were begun, before its effective
 
22 date.
 
23      SECTION 5.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2000.