STAND. COM. REP. NO.698

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2001

RE: S.B. No. 1341

S.D. 1

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred S.B. No. 1341 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE UNITED STATES SELECTIVE SERVICE SYSTEM,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require a motor vehicle driver's license, instruction permit, or state ID applicant who is subject to the Military Selective Service Act, to be in compliance with the filing requirements of the Military Selective Service Act prior to the issuance of a new or renewed license, permit, or state ID.

The measure also requires the County Examiner of Drivers and Attorney General to forward the applicant's information to the Selective Service System.

Your Committee received testimony in favor of the measure from the United States Selective Service System, the State Adjutant General, the United Public Workers, AFSCME, Local 646, and the AFL-CIO. Your Committee received comments on the measure from the Department of Customer Services of the City and County of Honolulu requesting that the measure be amended to ensure that the costs associated with implementing such a program would not be borne by the counties.

Your Committee finds that Hawaii currently ranks last among the fifty states for registration compliance and, despite significant and broad-based efforts, the State's registration rate continues to drop an average of one per cent each year. In addition to possible substantial criminal punishment, men who fail to register lose their eligibility for federal student loans and job training as well as many Federal jobs. By linking Selective Service Registration with the attainment of a driver's license, we can ensure that young men of Hawaii are aware of their obligation to register and can therefore retain their eligibility for these benefits.

Based on the comments submitted by the Department of Customer Services of the City and County of Honolulu, your Committee has amended the measure by requiring the United States Selective Service System to bear the costs of implementing the program.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1341, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1341, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary,

____________________________

BRIAN KANNO, Chair