CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 117

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2019

RE: S.B. No. 1417

S.D. 2

H.D. 1

C.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sirs:

Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 1417, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FILIPINO VETERANS BURIAL ASSISTANCE,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds for burial grants for qualifying Filipino-American World War II veterans for funeral and burial costs and costs of transporting their remains to the Philippines.

Your Committee on Conference finds that many Filipino veterans have been denied full veterans benefits, including burial benefits, by the United States. Your Committee on Conference further finds that appropriating funds for burial grants for qualifying Filipino-American World War II veterans would demonstrate the State's appreciation and proper respect for their service.

Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting an appropriation amount of $50,000;

(2) Removing language that would have prevented the funds from lapsing to the credit of the general fund;

(3) Requiring the funds to be matched on a one-to-one basis with private funds;

(4) Removing language that would have capped each burial grant at $5,000 per person; and

(4) Making it effective on July 1, 2019.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1417, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1417, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

____________________________ GREGG TAKAYAMA Co-Chair	____________________________ CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA Chair
____________________________ TY J.K. CULLEN Co-Chair	____________________________ GILBERT S.C. KEITH-AGARAN Co-Chair