STAND. COM. REP. NO. 482-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: H.B. No. 2396

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Labor & Government Operations and Corrections, Military, & Veterans, to which was referred H.B. No. 2396 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HAWAII NATIONAL GUARD,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to authorize the payment of allowances for TRICARE Reserve Select coverages to junior officers, warrant officers, or enlisted personnel of the Hawaii National Guard ordered to active duty for more than thirty days in service to the State.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaiʻi Emergency Management Agency; Hawaiʻi Army National Guard; and numerous individuals.

Your Committees find that when Hawaii National Guard service members are ordered to active duty for more than thirty days, they may not have medical insurance to cover them or their families for routine medical care, as the service member is only covered for injuries or illnesses determined to have occurred or caused by their performance of duty. This measure would authorize the payment of allowances for TRICARE Reserve Select coverages to Hawaii National Guard junior officers, warrant officers, or enlisted personnel ordered to active duty for more than thirty days in service to the State, alleviating potential financial hardships for service members and their families.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

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

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Labor & Government Operations and Corrections, Military, & Veterans that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2396, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2396, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Labor & Government Operations and Corrections, Military, & Veterans,

____________________________ MARK J. HASHEM, Chair

____________________________ SCOT Z. MATAYOSHI, Chair