HCR 62: REQUESTING THAT THE SHERIFF DIVISION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF LAW ENFORCEMENT FLY THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF FAMILIES OF AMERICAN PRISONERS AND MISSING IN SOUTHEAST ASIA'S FLAG YEAR-ROUND AT THE STATE CAPITOL.

HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

REQUESTING THAT THE SHERIFF DIVISION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF LAW ENFORCEMENT FLY THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF FAMILIES OF AMERICAN PRISONERS AND MISSING IN SOUTHEAST ASIA'S FLAG YEAR-ROUND AT THE STATE CAPITOL.

     WHEREAS, the National League of Families of American Prisoners and Missing in Southeast Asia (League) designed a flag in recognition of the need for a symbol of our prisoner of war and missing in action military personnel; and

     WHEREAS, the 101st Congress passed U.S. Public Law 101-355, which recognized the League's flag, designating it as "the symbol of our Nation's concern and commitment to resolving as fully as possible the fates of Americans still prisoner, missing and unaccounted for in Southeast Asia, thus ending the uncertainty for their families and the Nation"; and

     WHEREAS, by law, the flag must be flown on six national holidays above the country's most important buildings, including the White House, United States Capitol, and every major military installation; and

     WHEREAS, the importance of the League's flag lies in its continued visibility, a constant reminder of the plight of America's prisoner of war and missing in action military personnel; and

     WHEREAS, the flag currently flies over capitols in a number of states throughout the year; now, therefore,

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Thirty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2025, the Senate concurring, that the Sheriff Division of the Department of Law Enforcement is requested to fly the League's flag on the same six national holidays as Congress set forth in U.S. Public Law 105-85 at the State Capitol; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Governor, Director of Law Enforcement, and State Sheriff.

Report Title: 

POW/MIA Flag; Hawaii State Capitol Building

HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

Requesting that the Sheriff Division of the Department of law enforcement fly the National League of families of american prisoners and missing in southeast asia's flag year-round at the state capitol.

     WHEREAS, the National League of Families of American Prisoners and Missing in Southeast Asia (League) designed a flag in recognition of the need for a symbol of our prisoner of war and missing in action military personnel; and

     WHEREAS, the 101st Congress passed U.S. Public Law 101-355, which recognized the League's flag, designating it as "the symbol of our Nation's concern and commitment to resolving as fully as possible the fates of Americans still prisoner, missing and unaccounted for in Southeast Asia, thus ending the uncertainty for their families and the Nation"; and

     WHEREAS, by law, the flag must be flown on six national holidays above the country's most important buildings, including the White House, United States Capitol, and every major military installation; and

     WHEREAS, the importance of the League's flag lies in its continued visibility, a constant reminder of the plight of America's prisoner of war and missing in action military personnel; and

     WHEREAS, the flag currently flies over capitols in a number of states throughout the year; now, therefore,

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Thirty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2025, the Senate concurring, that the Sheriff Division of the Department of Law Enforcement is requested to fly the League's flag year-round at the State Capitol; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Governor, Director of Law Enforcement, and State Sheriff.

Report Title: 

POW/MIA Flag; Hawaii State Capitol Building

STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1596

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2025

RE:   H.C.R. No. 62

      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.C.R. No. 62 entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THAT THE SHERIFF DIVISION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF LAW ENFORCEMENT FLY THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF FAMILIES OF AMERICAN PRISONERS AND MISSING IN SOUTHEAST ASIA'S FLAG YEAR-ROUND AT THE STATE CAPITOL,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to honor, remind and keep visible America's prisoner of war and missing in action military personnel by requesting the Sheriff Division of the Department of Law Enforcement to fly the League's flag year-round at the State Capitol.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from one individual.

     Your Committee finds that it is important for the legislature to honor prisoners of war, and, there are many different groups of citizens that the legislature must honor. Your Committee believes that to be fair and equitable, the legislature cannot choose one party to uphold above all others, through a year-round flag raising.

     Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by replacing the request to fly the POW-MIA flag year-round with the request to fly the flag on the same six national holidays as dictated in U.S. Public Law 105-85.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Public Safety that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 62, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs in the form attached hereto as H.C.R. No. 62, H.D. 1.

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