STAND. COM. REP. NO.  587

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2015

RE:   H.B. No. 928

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce, to which was referred H.B. No. 928 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE CONSUMER ADVOCATE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to authorize the Public Utilities Commission to order the Consumer Advocate, rather than the Director of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, to appear in proceedings initiated by the Commission to enforce chapter 269, Hawaii Revised Statutes.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Public Utilities Commission, the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, and the Division of Consumer Advocacy of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs.

     Your Committee finds that Act 108, Session Laws of Hawaii 2014, designated the Executive Director of the Division of Consumer Advocacy, rather than the Director of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, as the Consumer Advocate.  Your Committee believes that this housekeeping measure to update the reference to the Consumer Advocate in section 269-15(a), Hawaii Revised Statutes, is necessary to conform that section to the provisions of Act 108 and to avoid any ambiguity.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 928 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce,

____________________________

ANGUS L.K. McKELVEY, Chair