363-2. Office of veterans' services; director
(a) The office of veterans' services shall be responsible for the conduct or supervision of all activities provided for by this chapter and for the formulation and adoption of all policies and rules for the administration of this chapter and is established in the department of defense for administrative purposes.
(b) The head of the office shall be known as
the director of the office of veterans' services. The director shall be
nominated and appointed by the governor without regard to chapters 76 and 89.
Effective July 1, 2005, the director shall be paid a salary set by the
appointing authority that shall not exceed sixty-nine per cent of the salary of
the director of human resources development. The director shall be included in
any benefit program generally applicable to the officers and employees of the State.
(c) The director shall have the following
principal functions, duties, and powers:
(1) Serve as the principal official in state
government responsible for the performance, development, and control of
programs, policies, and activities under this chapter;
(2) Oversee, supervise, and direct the performance by
the director's subordinates of activities in such areas as planning,
evaluation, and coordination of veterans programs and development of a
statewide service delivery network;
(3) Assess the policies and practices of other
agencies with respect to delivery of services and benefits to veterans;
(4) Administer funds allocated for the office, and
apply for, receive, and disburse grants and donations from all sources for
veterans programs and services provided under this chapter;
(5) Establish a clearinghouse for complaints of
persons regarding services to veterans, or operations of state and county
agencies affecting veterans, investigate such complaints, and refer the
complaints and the director's findings to the appropriate agency for corrective
action;
(6) Adopt, amend, and repeal rules pursuant to
chapter 91 for the purposes of this chapter;
(7) Employ and retain such staff as may be necessary
for the purposes of this chapter, in conformance with chapters 76, 89, and the
appropriate collective bargaining agreements, executive orders, executive
directives, or rules, except for the position of coordinator and executive
secretary to the director, who shall be hired without regard to chapters 76 and
89;
(8) Contract for or grant such services as may be
necessary for the purposes of this chapter, including a master contract with
other state agencies receiving federal and state funds for programs and
services for veterans, and purchase of service agreements with appropriate
agencies;
(9) Oversee the development, establishment, and
operation of a state veterans cemetery on Oahu; develop and administer the
policies and procedures of the state veterans cemetery in accordance with the
United States Department of Veterans Affairs and existing state guidelines;
oversee the maintenance of state veterans cemeteries on all islands; and
(10) Act on behalf of deceased veterans found to be
indigent at the time of death and without surviving immediate family members to
ensure burial or cremation services are provided and that the veteran's remains
are buried or inurned in a state veterans cemetery.
[L 1951, c 75, §4; RL 1955,
§349-4; am L Sp 1959 2d, c 1, §20; HRS §363-2; am L 1970, c 105, §5; am L 1987,
c 339, §4; am L 1988, c 115, §4; am L 1990, c 140, §6; am L 2002, c 148, §40;
am L 2005, c 226, §11; am L 2010, c 27, §1]
