Bill Text: HI HB1282 | 2013 | Regular Session | Amended

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Hawaii Medal of Honor; Title 10 Status

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)

Status: (Passed) 2013-04-10 - Act 009, 4/10/2013 (Gov. Msg. No. 1109). [HB1282 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2013-HB1282-Amended.html

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STAND. COM. REP. NO.  604

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2013

 

RE:   H.B. No. 1282

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Veterans, Military, & International Affairs, & Culture and the Arts, to which was referred H.B. No. 1282 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MILITARY SERVICE,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to continue to recognize and honor Hawaii service members who have borne the incredible burden of war by:

 

     (1)  Clarifying that members of the Hawaii National Guard or United States military reserves must have been activated into service at the time they were killed in action to be eligible to receive the Hawaii Medal of Honor; and

 

     (2)  Allowing service members who commit suicide on the battlefield or while on deployment to be eligible to receive the Hawaii Medal of Honor if all other requirements for the Medal of Honor have been met.

 

     The Department of Hawaii Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, National Association for Uniformed Services Hawaii Chapter, and a concerned individual testified in support of this bill.  The State of Hawaii Department of Defense and several concerned individuals testified in opposition to this measure.

 

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

 

     (1)  Deleting language that would have allowed service members who commit suicide on the battlefield or while on deployment to be eligible to receive the Hawaii Medal of Honor;

 

     (2)  Inserting language to expand eligibility for the Hawaii Medal of Honor by including individuals who were killed in action while:

 

          (A)  Serving in direct support of military operations in a combat zone if that service was designated as such by the United States Department of Defense; and

 

          (B)  Performing duty subject to hostile fire or imminent danger if that duty qualifies the individual for special military pay as determined by the United States Department of Defense;

 

(3)  Making conforming amendments to the purpose section of the bill to reflect the substantive provisions of the bill as amended; and

 

     (4)  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. 1282, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1282, H.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

 

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

 

 

		____________________________ K. MARK TAKAI, Chair