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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES |
H.R. NO. |
146 |
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TWENTY-NINTH LEGISLATURE, 2018 |
H.D. 1 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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HOUSE RESOLUTION
REQUESTING THE OFFICE OF VETERANS' SERVICES TO STUDY HOW THE INCREASE IN BURIAL SERVICE REQUESTS HAS AFFECTED THE HAWAII STATE VETERANS CEMETERY.
WHEREAS, the Hawaii State Veterans Cemetery in Kaneohe is the only cemetery administered by the Office of Veterans' Services, which actively handles burials of veterans and their spouses in Hawaii; and
WHEREAS, the cemetery administration is charged with and admirably performs burial services with the greatest dignity, care, and reverence to honor veterans and their spouses who have served and sacrificed for the people of the United States of America; and
WHEREAS, the Hawaii State Veterans Cemetery's grounds continue to be maintained to the highest standards, preserving the dignity of the final resting places of veterans and their spouses, and providing a fitting and respectful atmosphere for those who visit and pay respects to their departed; and
WHEREAS, across the nation, veterans cemeteries, including the Hawaii State Veterans Cemetery, have experienced an increase in the volume of burial services requests as a large number of veterans from World War II, Korean War, and Vietnam War are reaching the age of passage; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-ninth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2018, that the Office of Veterans' Services is requested to conduct a study on how the increase in burial service requests has affected and will affect the Hawaii State Veterans Cemetery, including wait times between passage and final burial, and what, if any, reasonable measures can or should be taken by the State to decrease wait times; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Office of Veterans' Services shall submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2019; including 1-year, 5-year, and 10-year plans outlining:
1. Cemetery operations (staff, burial capacity, estimated costs, and any plans for expansion),
2. Honor guard availability,
3. Present and future projections for estimated wait times between passage and final burial,
4. Present and future practices to maximize space, and
5. Recommendations for future legislation including what measures, if any, can be taken by the State to decrease wait times; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Director of the Office of Veterans' Services.
Office of Veterans' Services; Hawaii State Veterans Cemetery; Study