HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES |
H.C.R. NO. |
68 |
THIRTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2020 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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HOUSE CONCURRENT
RESOLUTION
requesting the legislative reference bureau to conduct a study of the impact of the military on hawaii's economy.
WHEREAS, the military's presence in Hawaii has a significant impact on the State's economy; and
WHEREAS, according to the United States Department of Defense, over forty-two thousand active duty military personnel are assigned to Hawaii as of September 2019; and
WHEREAS, the Department of Education estimates that Hawaii hosts over three hundred thousand military personnel and their families, who contribute to consumer spending and use the State's education, housing, and natural resources; and
WHEREAS, according to the Department of Education, approximately fourteen thousand military dependents attend public schools, which represents roughly eight percent of the State's total student enrollment; and
WHEREAS, military personnel stationed in Hawaii often require additional housing near military installments; and
WHEREAS, consistent with the holding in Clarence Ching, et al. v. Suzanne Case, et al., 145 Hawaii 148 (2019), military operations on leased public trust lands require environmental oversight by the State, which in turn requires the appropriation of additional public funds; and
WHEREAS, understanding the amount of revenue generated by military spending in Hawaii, the cost of environmental oversight obligations for lands leased for military use, and the extent of State support afforded to military personnel will help the Legislature in crafting fiscal policy that safeguards the public trust and advances the common good; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Thirtieth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2020, the Senate concurring, that the Legislative Reference Bureau is requested to conduct a study of the impact of the military on Hawaii's economy; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the study is requested to include an evaluation of the military's impact on:
(1) Funding for public education, including the extent to which federal impact aid reimbursements received by the Department of Education fulfill the expenditures required to meet the educational needs of federally connected students;
(2) Hawaii's housing supply, including the availability and cost of housing for sale and rent in communities located near military installations;
(3) Land use and environmental considerations, including the cost to the State of monitoring, inspecting, and restoring lands leased by the military to preserve trust lands; and
(4) Consumer spending by military personnel and their families; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislative Reference Bureau is requested to submit a report of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2021; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Director of the Legislative Reference Bureau; Director of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; Chairperson of the Board of Land and Natural Resources; Superintendent of Education; and Chief Executive Officer of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.
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OFFERED BY: |
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Legislative Reference Bureau; Study; Military Impacts; State Economy