STAND. COM. REP. NO.  518-14

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2014

 

RE:   H.B. No. 2072

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Veterans, Military, & International Affairs, & Culture and the Arts, to which was referred H.B. No. 2072 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to focus on the growing need to improve veterans' services to address the specific needs of female veterans, as well as females on active duty, in such areas as medical and mental health care, child care services, housing, and financial assistance, by appropriating funds to establish a full-time, permanent Women's Veterans Coordinator position in the Office of Veterans' Services.

 

     The Department of Defense, Office of Veterans' Services, Advisory Board on Veterans' Services, League of Women Voters-Hawaii, Hawaii Military Women's Task Force Committee, National Association for Uniformed Services-Hawaii Chapter, Hawaii State Democratic Women's Caucus, and several concerned individuals testified in support of this measure.

 

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

 

     (1)  Clarifying that the Women's Veterans Coordinator position is being established to assist only female veterans who served on active duty for the full period during which they were activated and who were discharged with other than a dishonorable discharge; and

 

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Veterans, Military, & International Affairs, & Culture and the Arts that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2072, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2072, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Veterans, Military, & International Affairs, & Culture and the Arts,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

K. MARK TAKAI, Chair