Bill Text: HI SB1377 | 2025 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating To Veterans Cemeteries.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2025-01-28 - The committee(s) on PSM has scheduled a public hearing on 01-31-25 3:10PM; Conference Room 225 & Videoconference. [SB1377 Detail]
Download: Hawaii-2025-SB1377-Introduced.html
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THE SENATE |
S.B. NO. |
1377 |
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THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
RELATING TO VETERANS CEMETERIES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. The purpose of this bill is to establish the veterans cemeteries board, composed of representatives from federal, state, and county departments and agencies, to provide veterans cemeteries in the State with guidance, education, technical assistance, and other support to ensure compliance with standards set by the National Cemetery Administration of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.
SECTION 2. Chapter 363, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:
"§363- Veterans cemeteries board. (a) There shall be established the
veterans cemeteries board within the office in
the department of defense for administrative purposes only. The main responsibilities
of the veterans cemeteries board shall be as follows:
(1) Identify compliance issues faced by veterans cemeteries in the State, resources needed, and challenges encountered by departments or agencies that manage veterans cemeteries and work collaboratively to resolve issues;
(2) Devise solutions to address the issues identified under paragraph (1) and implement the solutions through a cross-representation of the state and county departments and agencies on the board;
(3) Seek resource solutions including funding, legislative initiatives, and inter-governmental program support; and
(4) Interact and invite interested community agencies, organizations, stakeholders, and concerned veterans and citizens to participate in discussions and board meetings.
(b)
The veteran cemeteries board shall be comprised of the following
members:
(1) The director, or the director's designee, who shall serve as the chairperson of the board;
(2) A representative of the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific by invitation of the director;
(3) The director of the department within the county of Maui responsible for operating and maintaining the county's veterans cemeteries, or the director's designee;
(4) The director of the department within the county of Hawaii responsible for operating and maintaining the county's veterans cemeteries, or the director's designee;
(5) The director of the department within the county of Kauai responsible for operating and maintaining the county's veterans cemeteries, or the director's designee; and
(6) The cemetery operations manager of the Hawaii state veterans cemetery, or the manager's designee.
The members of the veterans cemeteries
board shall serve without compensation but may be reimbursed for necessary
expenses, including travel expenses, incurred in the performance of their
duties. A majority of the members of the
veterans cemeteries board shall constitute a quorum for the conduct of business
of the board. A majority vote of the
members present at a meeting at which a quorum is established shall be
necessary to validate any action of the veterans cemeteries board.
(c) The veterans cemeteries board shall develop
and make recommendations to meet compliance standards set by the National
Cemetery Administration of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. In developing the recommendation, the
veterans cemeteries board shall create, develop, and adopt a statewide
framework, which shall include:
(1) A clear understanding of compliance
standards for cemetery grounds and maintenance set by the National Cemetery
Administration;
(2) Strategies and recommendations for grounds
and maintenance best practices to address the varying challenges and conditions
of each cemetery location; and
(3) A standardized system of data collection
and information sharing to support the intergovernmental efforts of the board.
(d) The office shall provide necessary staff and
other support required by the veterans cemeteries board
for the performance of its duties."
SECTION
3. New statutory material is
underscored.
SECTION
4. This Act shall take effect upon its
approval.
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INTRODUCED BY: |
_____________________________ |
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BY REQUEST |
Report Title:
DOD; OVS; Veterans Cemeteries Board; Veterans Cemeteries
Description:
Establishes the Veterans Cemeteries Board within the Office of Veterans Services of the Department of Defense to provide veterans cemeteries in the State with guidance, education, technical assistance, and other support to ensure compliance with standards set by the National Cemetery Administration of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.
The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.
