STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2202

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 3016

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Public Safety and Intergovernmental and Military Affairs and Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 3016 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HAWAIIAN FLAG,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to require all United States military reservations and military training facilities in the State to display the Hawaiian flag.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from Hoʻomana Pono, LLC and eleven individuals.

Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from six individuals.

Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of the Attorney General, Hawaii Military Affairs Council, and one individual.

Your Committees find that displaying a state's flag is a gesture of respect for that state and the current version of the Hawaiian flag, adopted in 1845, which includes symbolism representing Hawaii's islands, ocean, culture, values, and history, must be respected. Your Committees further find that currently, the practice of displaying the Hawaiian flag at military facilities in the State is inconsistent and varies from facility to facility. This measure will create uniformity and show respect to the Hawaiian flag.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Allowing each United States military reservation and military training facility to display the Hawaiian flag, rather than requiring;

(2) Amending section 1 to reflect its amended purpose; and

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

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Public Safety and Intergovernmental and Military Affairs and Hawaiian Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 3016, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3016, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

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

________________________________ MAILE S.L. SHIMABUKURO, Chair

________________________________ GLENN WAKAI, Chair