STAND. COM. REP. NO.  411

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2009

 

RE:   H.B. No. 560

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Economic Revitalization, Business, & Military Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 560 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO VETERANS SERVICES,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this bill is to establish a dedicated source of funding for medical services programs for veterans who served in the Hawaii National Guard by:

 

(1)  Placing a Veterans' Services Tax on wine, beer, and distilled spirits; and

 

(2)  Directing revenues from this tax to a newly established Veterans' Services Special Fund, to be used to provide medical support services for Hawaii's National Guard members and to be administered by the Office of Veterans' Services (OVS).

 

     The Department of Taxation and Department of Budget and Finance opposed this bill.  OVS and Tax Foundation of Hawaii commented on this bill.

 

     Your Committee has amended this bill by removing references to medical services and providing that OVS use Veterans' Services Tax revenues for OVS positions and programs.  Technical, nonsubstantive amendments were made for clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Economic Revitalization, Business, & Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 560, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 560, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Economic Revitalization, Business, & Military Affairs,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

ANGUS L.K. MCKELVEY, Chair