STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1280

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 1999

                                 RE: S.B. No. 1481
                                     S.D. 1




Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 1999
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs, to
which was referred S.B. No. 1481, S.D. 1, entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR THE HAWAII
     ISLAND VETERANS MEMORIAL INC,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to appropriate funds for a
grant-in-aid to the Hawaii Island Veterans Memorial, Inc., for:

     (1)  Plans;

     (2)  Land acquisition;

     (3)  Design and engineering;

     (4)  Construction; and

     (5)  Equipment;

for phase I and phase II of the Combined Veterans Center Project.

     The Big Island Retired Military Association, the Advisory
Board on Veterans Services, the Office of Veterans Services, he
Hawaii Island Veterans Memorial, Inc. (HIVM), the Mayor of the
County of Hawaii, and members of the public testified in support
of this bill.


 
 
 
                                 STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1280
                                 Page 2

 
     According to the latest available Veterans Administration
population figures, there are currently 14,440 veterans residing
in the County of Hawaii.  Based on these population number, there
is an increased need for centralized veterans services and in
particular, a Community Based Out-Patient Clinic (CBOC).  The
HIVM was formed by 30 different veterans organizations as a
nonprofit corporation to plan, build, and operate a multipurpose
veterans center to include a 50-unit veterans home.  Your
Committee finds that this bill is the first step in ensuring that
adequate counseling, readjustment, and medical treatment will be
provided to the County of Hawaii's veterans in a permanent, safe,
and localized location.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs that is attached
to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and
purpose of S.B. No. 1481, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass
Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committee on Public Safety and
                                   Military Affairs,



                                   ______________________________
                                   NESTOR R. GARCIA, Chair