Report Title:

Appropriation; Department of Defense; Hawaii State Veterans Cemetery; UH; Military Students; Uniform Maintenance Allowance Direct Deposit

Description:

Appropriates funds for casket liners and to address the soil problems at the Hawaii State Veterans Cemetery. Authorizes the right of returning members of the military to retain readmission to University of Hawaii programs. Allows enlisted army or national guard members to elect direct deposit for their uniform maintenance allowance. (HB115 CD1)

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

115

TWENTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2005

H.D. 1

STATE OF HAWAII

S.D. 2


C.D. 1

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

RELATING TO MILITARY AFFAIRS.

 

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

PART I

SECTION 1. The purpose of this Act is to recognize and honor the members of the armed forces by assisting them as follows:

(1) Providing an appropriation for casket liners and to address the soil problems at the Hawaii state veterans cemetery; and

(2) Authorizing the right of returning members of the military to retain readmission to programs of the University of Hawaii system; and

(3) Allowing enlisted personnel of the army or air national guard who receive a uniform maintenance allowance from the state department of defense to designate a financial institution account into which to deposit the member's uniform maintenance allowance.

PART II

SECTION 2. The legislature finds that the Hawaii state

veterans cemetery in Kaneohe opened in 1991 as the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific was reaching full capacity. The Kaneohe cemetery is Hawaii's only state-run facility that serves veterans and their family members. The cemetery is a place of peace and tranquility where comrades-in-arms and friends can visit the final resting place of departed veterans.

Unfortunately, this peace and tranquility has been disturbed by soil problems in the area. A recent study has found that the cemetery's soil is not suitable for re-use as back-fill in graves due to its composition and moisture content. Consequently, the substandard soil cannot provide the necessary support for graves and headstones, causing them to sink in unsightly holes that mar the landscape and desecrate the sanctity of the cemetery. To remedy the soil problem, appropriate soil and casket liners are necessary.

The purpose of this part is to provide funds to remedy the soil problem and for the purchase of casket liners at the Hawaii state veterans cemetery to ultimately provide a decent burial site for Hawaii's veterans.

SECTION 3. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $131,200 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2005-2006 and $56,250 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2006-2007 to address the soil problems at the Hawaii state veterans cemetery; provided that a portion of the appropriated amount for fiscal year 2005-2006 shall be used for casket liners.

The sums appropriated in this part shall be expended by the department of defense for the purposes of this Act.

PART III

SECTION 4. The University of Hawaii shall establish a program to allow returning military personnel the right to retain admission to programs to which they had been admitted prior to deployment, including students who had been admitted but did not enroll due to the timing of their deployment; provided that the individual is returning from a tour of duty and identifies the individual's prior acceptance to the appropriate campus registrar.

PART IV

SECTION 5. Chapter 121, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by added a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"§121- Uniform maintenance allowance; deposit. Enlisted personnel of the army or air national guard who receive a uniform maintenance allowance from the state department of defense, regardless of the source of the funds, may designate a financial institution account into which the department of accounting and general services is authorized to deposit the member's uniform maintenance allowance."

PART V

SECTION 6. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 7. This Act shall take effect upon its approval; provided that part II shall take effect on July 1, 2005.