HELPING THE MILITARY

Building on our previous efforts to provide help to our military personnel and their families, the Lingle-Aiona Administration is proposing two bills that will exempt military personnel from vehicle taxes and registration fees and help military dependents transfer between school systems.  

Vehicle Registration Tax Exemption

According to the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, over 35,000 Hawaii-based military personnel have deployed overseas to serve our country, at one time or another, since September 2001.  The military’s presence in Hawaii not only contributes to the State’s security in the Pacific region, but also provides many economic benefits as well.  The Lingle-Aiona Administration is proposing a bill that exempts from State and county motor vehicle taxes and registration fees private vehicles of Hawaii residents who are members of the military, including the National Guard, Reserves, and Coast Guard. 

This exemption is one more benefit to show our appreciation for and support of military personnel who live in Hawaii.  The measure ensures fairness in the treatment of all military personnel stationed in Hawaii since non-Hawaii residents in the armed services already qualify for vehicle tax exemptions under the federal Service Members Civil Relief Act. 

Education for Military Children

Every year over 15,000 military dependent students attend Hawaii’s public schools.  Due to different education requirements imposed by local school systems, children in military families relocating from out-of-state often have difficulty transitioning into their new schools.  To help the process along, the Lingle-Aiona Administration is introducing an interstate compact supported by the U. S. Department of Defense to be adopted by each state.  The compact provides standards addressing issues such as enrollment, placement and graduation of children whose parents are active duty service members or recent veterans of the military. 

The compact provides detailed requirements that must be met by sending and receiving schools of children of military personnel.  These requirements include specific rules and timelines regarding timely transfer of educational records, timely immunization for communicable diseases prior to enrollment, flexibility on age restrictions for kindergarten and first grade enrollment, flexibility for inclusion in extracurricular activities, flexibility in course and educational program placement, facilitation of comparable special education services, and facilitation of on-time graduation for military dependents who are in their senior year.  This compact, along with the Joint Venture Education Forum, will have a positive impact on learning and will open opportunities for more direct engagement between the military and Hawaii’s schools on how best to serve our military children.