HB 674: RELATING TO THE HAWAII NATIONAL GUARD.

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING TO THE HAWAII NATIONAL GUARD.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

     SECTION 1.  Section 121-39, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

     "§121-39  Pay of officers and warrant officers while on active duty.  Officers and warrant officers of the army or air national guard while on active duty in the service of the State shall receive the pay and allowances of officers and warrant officers of similar grades of the United States Army and Air Force, respectively; provided that:

     (1)  The State shall allow officers and warrant officers to directly deposit their pay by electronic means to their personal banking accounts;

     (2)  If an officer or warrant officer is activated for more than thirty days in the service of the State and is not otherwise covered by health insurance, the State shall provide an allowance for the payment of TRICARE reserve select, TRICARE dental, and vision coverage for the individual officer or warrant officer and TRICARE reserve select coverage for the officer's family should the officer or warrant officer have eligible dependents[; provided that this paragraph shall only apply to officers in the grades of O-3 and below and warrant officers in the grades of CW-2 and below]; and

     (3)  No pay or allowances shall be made to officers or warrant officers for any service for which they receive military pay and allowances from the United States."

     SECTION 2.  Section 121-40, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

     "§121-40  Pay of enlisted personnel while on active duty.  Enlisted personnel of the army and air national guard while on active duty in the service of the State, except during periods of annual field training or year-round field training, shall receive the same pay and allowances as enlisted personnel of similar rank in the United States Army and Air Force respectively; provided that the:

     (1)  State shall allow enlisted personnel to directly deposit their pay by electronic means to their personal banking accounts;

     (2)  If an enlisted person is activated for more than thirty days in the service of the State and is not otherwise covered by health insurance, the State shall provide an allowance for the payment of TRICARE reserve select, TRICARE dental, and vision coverage for the individual enlisted person and TRICARE reserve select coverage for the enlisted person's family should the enlisted person have eligible dependents[; provided that this paragraph shall only apply to enlisted personnel in the grades of E-6 and below]; and

     (3)  Aggregate of the pay and allowances, computed on a daily basis, shall in no event be less than the amount equal to ten times the hourly wage specified in section 387-2."

     SECTION 3.  This Act does not affect rights and duties that matured, penalties that were incurred, and proceedings that were begun before its effective date.

     SECTION 4.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 5.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 3000.

Report Title:

National Guard; Insurance; TRICARE; Department of Defense; Dental; Vision

Description:

Authorizes the payment of allowances for TRICARE, TRICARE Dental Program, and vision coverage to all officers, warrant officers, and enlisted personnel of the Hawaii National Guard ordered to active duty for more than 30 days.  Effective 7/1/3000.  (HD1)

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.

A BILL FOR AN ACT

Relating to the Hawaii National Guard.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

     SECTION 1.  Section 121-39, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

     "§121-39  Pay of officers and warrant officers while on active duty.  Officers and warrant officers of the army or air national guard while on active duty in the service of the State shall receive the pay and allowances of officers and warrant officers of similar grades of the United States Army and Air Force, respectively; provided that:

     (1)  The State shall allow officers and warrant officers to directly deposit their pay by electronic means to their personal banking accounts;

     (2)  If an officer or warrant officer is activated for more than thirty days in the service of the State and is not otherwise covered by health insurance, the State shall provide an allowance for the payment of TRICARE reserve select, TRICARE dental, and vision coverage for the individual officer or warrant officer and TRICARE reserve select coverage for the officer's family should the officer or warrant officer have eligible dependents[; provided that this paragraph shall only apply to officers in the grades of O-3 and below and warrant officers in the grades of CW-2 and below]; and

     (3)  No pay or allowances shall be made to officers or warrant officers for any service for which they receive military pay and allowances from the United States."

     SECTION 2.  Section 121-40, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

     "§121-40  Pay of enlisted personnel while on active duty.  Enlisted personnel of the army and air national guard while on active duty in the service of the State, except during periods of annual field training or year-round field training, shall receive the same pay and allowances as enlisted personnel of similar rank in the United States Army and Air Force respectively; provided that the:

     (1)  State shall allow enlisted personnel to directly deposit their pay by electronic means to their personal banking accounts;

     (2)  If an enlisted person is activated for more than thirty days in the service of the State and is not otherwise covered by health insurance, the State shall provide an allowance for the payment of TRICARE reserve select, TRICARE dental, and vision coverage for the individual enlisted person and TRICARE reserve select coverage for the enlisted person's family should the enlisted person have eligible dependents[; provided that this paragraph shall only apply to enlisted personnel in the grades of E-6 and below]; and

     (3)  Aggregate of the pay and allowances, computed on a daily basis, shall in no event be less than the amount equal to ten times the hourly wage specified in section 387-2."

     SECTION 3.  This Act does not affect rights and duties that matured, penalties that were incurred, and proceedings that were begun before its effective date.

     SECTION 4.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 5.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

Report Title:

National Guard; Insurance; TRICARE; Department of Defense; Dental; Vision

Description:

Authorizes the payment of allowances for TRICARE, TRICARE Dental Program, and vision coverage to all officers, warrant officers, and enlisted personnel of the Hawaii National Guard ordered to active duty for more than 30 days.

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.

STAND. COM. REP. NO.  453

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2025

RE:   H.B. No. 674

      H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madame:

     Your Committee on Public Safety, to which was referred H.B. No. 674 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to authorize the payment of allowances for TRICARE, TRICARE Dental Program, and vision coverage to all officers, warrant officers, and enlisted personnel of the Hawaii National Guard ordered to active duty for more than thirty days.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Defense; Hawaii National Guard; and one individual.

     Your Committee finds that it is essential to ensure that Hawaii National Guard servicemembers receive necessary medical care when they are called to serve on state active duty for more than thirty days, especially during disasters or domestic crises.  These servicemembers who make significant sacrifices to selflessly protect and serve the people of Hawaii deserve this vital coverage for their health and well-being.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by changing its effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Public Safety that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 674, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 674, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Public Safety,