§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]

Cross References

Rulemaking, see chapter 91.