STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1281

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.R. No. 101

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Government Operations, to which was referred S.R. No. 101 entitled:

 

"SENATE RESOLUTION SUPPORTING THE CO-NAMING OF A SECTION OF 33RD STREET IN NEW YORK CITY TO FATHER DAMIEN WAY IN HONOR OF SAINT DAMIEN DE VEUSTER,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to support the co-naming of a section of 33rd Street in New York City to Father Damien Way in honor of Saint Damien de Veuster.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Catholic Conference, Halawai, and three individuals.

 

     Your Committee finds that Father Damien is a revered figure in Hawaiian history.  He devoted his life to caring for patients with Hansen's disease on Molokai.  Even after contracting the disease himself, he continued his work there, building hospitals, clinics, and churches, and ensuring coffins were assembled for the people of the colony.  Father Damien died on Molokai among his fellow patients and congregation, and was later canonized as Saint Damien De Veuster, patron saint of people with Hansen's disease.  The co-naming of 33rd Street in New York City to Father Damien Way should be supported as a means of sharing Father Damien's legacy of selflessness and advocacy for compassionate care.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Government Operations that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.R. No. 101, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.R. No. 101, S.D. 1.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Government Operations,

 

 

 

________________________________

DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair