Report Title:

Hazardous Materials; Veterans Exposed to Depleted Uranium

 

Description:

Requires office of veterans services to help inform certain members of the Hawaii national guard of federal services for depleted uranium exposure.  Prohibits state funds use.  Requires office to implement outreach.  Requires adjutant general to certify annually that the Hawaii national guard members are informed.

 


HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

2072

TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2008

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT


 

 

relating to veterans.

 

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 


     SECTION 1.  Chapter 363, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

     "§363-     Depleted uranium; assistance; no state funds; certification to legislature; health registry; outreach; definitions.  (a)  Beginning on December 1, 2008, the office shall assist any person who is an eligible member who:

     (1)  Has been assigned to a risk level I, II, or III for depleted uranium exposure by the person's branch of service;

     (2)  Is referred by a military physician; or

     (3)  Has reason to believe that the person had been exposed to depleted uranium,

to obtain information on available federal treatment services, including a best practice health screening test for exposure to depleted uranium using a bioassay procedure involving sensitive methods capable of detecting depleted uranium at low levels and the use of equipment with the capability to discriminate between different radioisotopes in naturally-occurring levels of uranium and the characteristic ratio and marker for depleted uranium; provided that no state funds shall be used to pay for such tests or other federal treatment services.

     (b)  The office shall develop an outreach plan to ensure that eligible members are informed of available resources with regard to depleted uranium exposure.

     (c)  Beginning on December 1, 2008, and no later than December 1 each year thereafter, the adjutant general shall certify in writing to the legislature that members of the Hawaii national guard have been informed of the possible health risks associated with exposure to depleted uranium.  The certification shall apply to both pre-deployment and post-mobilization information activities and post-deployment health screening.

     (d)  No later than December 1, 2008, the office shall develop a health registry listing eligible members returning from any area designated as a combat zone by presidential order or any other area in which depleted uranium may be found.

     (e)  For the purposes of this section, unless the context clearly requires otherwise:

     "Depleted uranium" means uranium containing less uranium‑235 than the naturally-occurring distribution of uranium isotopes.

     "Eligible member" means a member of the Hawaii national guard who has served in the Persian Gulf War, as defined in 38 U.S.C. 101(33), or in an area designated as a combat zone by presidential order.

     "Military physician" includes a physician who is under contract with the United States Department of Defense to provide physician services to members of the armed forces."

     SECTION 2.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 3.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

 

INTRODUCED BY:

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