STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1746

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.C.R. No. 161

H.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 161, H.D. 2, entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION SUPPORTING AND ADOPTING THE GOALS SET FORTH IN THE DIGITAL EQUITY DECLARATION FOR HAWAII ADOPTED BY THE BROADBAND HUI,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to support and adopt the goals set forth in the Digital Equity Declaration that was adopted by the Broadband Hui.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; Department of Education; Office of Hawaiian Affairs; Hawaii Workforce Development Council; University of Hawaii, John A. Burns School of Medicine; Department of Hawaiian Home Lands; Hawaii State Public Library System; Hawaii Community College; Oahu Economic Development Board; Kamehameha Schools; Hawaii Association of Independent Schools; Hawaii Foodbank; Aloha Care; O‘ahu County Democrats Digital Equity Committee; Hawaii Island Economic Development Board; Hawaii Dialogix Telecom; Hawaii Leeward Planning Conference; Economic Development Alliance of Hawai‘i; Hawaii Literacy, Inc.; Transform Hawai‘i Government; Hawai‘i Primary Care Association; Waipahu Safe Haven Immigrant Resource Center; Auamo Collaborative; Crystal Clear Communications; HawaiiKidsCAN; Maui Economic Opportunity, Inc.; KEY Project; LearningBond; Pacific International Center for High Technology Research; Code.org; Nakapuna Foundation; Tangent Systems; Skog Rasmussen LLC; Hawaiian Electric Company; Hawaii Consumers; Papa Ola Lōkahi; Michaels Management; and nineteen individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from three individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from one individual.

Your Committee finds that digital equity is the condition in which all Hawaii residents have the information technology capacity needed to participate fully in society, the democratic process, and the economy; including civics, social, and cultural activities; employment; lifelong learning; and access to essential services. Your Committee further finds that digital inequity has been a pressing community issue for many years, separating those individuals in rural communities and socio-economically disadvantaged circumstances from the rest of society through a lack of adequate broadband infrastructure, internet-capable devices, affordable broadband service, and technological knowledge. The Digital Equity Declaration establishes goals to reduce and overcome the digital inequity in the State and this measure acknowledges and supports the Declaration.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 161, H.D. 2, and recommends its adoption.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism,

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GLENN WAKAI, Chair