STAND. COM. REP. NO. 459

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 419

       S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs and Higher Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 419 entitled:

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

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

     (1)  Require compliance with the Military Selective Service Act by prohibiting enrollment in a state-supported post-secondary institution, ability to qualify for state financial assistance for post-secondary education, and eligibility for state or county employment or service with certain exceptions; and

     (2)  Establish special number plates for members of Hawaii selective service local boards and the United States Selective Service System State Director.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Selective Service System Hawaii Headquarters.  Your Committees received comments on this measure from the University of Hawaii and the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission.

Your Committees find that compliance with the Military Selective Service Act is essential for the continued existence of a military force for the protection and security of all citizens.  However, many of those who are required to register for selective service do not.  Given the importance of compliance with the Military Selective Service Act, it is necessary to put in place measures that ensure and increase compliance with the Act.  To that end, the federal government prohibits non-compliant persons from receiving federal student financial assistance or from being employed in a government job.  Accordingly, this measure adopts similar measures applicable to state financial assistance for post-secondary education, and eligibility for state or county employment or service.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

     (1)  Replacing the reference to only male citizens to include all persons;

     (2)  Deleting all language relating to special license plates; and

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs and Higher Education that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 419, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 419, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary and Labor.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs and Higher Education,

________________________________ KAIALI'I KAHELE, Chair

________________________________ CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair