CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 169-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: S.B. No. 2076

S.D. 2

H.D. 3

C.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sirs:

Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 2076, S.D. 2, H.D. 3, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO BROADBAND SERVICE INFRASTRUCTURE,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Require the University of Hawaii and the Hawaii Broadband and Digital Equity Office to convene a working group to determine the appropriate governance structure to operate, maintain, and oversee broadband assets; and

(2) Appropriate an unspecified amount of funds to the University of Hawaii for the administration of the working group.

Your Committee on Conference finds that the effective and efficient construction and maintenance of broadband infrastructure necessary to sustain interconnectivity within the State is vital to the well-being of Hawaii's residents and communities. Your Committee on Conference further finds that the broadened scope of duties of the Hawaii Broadband and Digital Equity Office necessitates an increase of resources for the Office to perform its duties.

Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

(1) Adding the Director of Health and the Superintendent of Education to the members of the working group;

(2) Removing language that appropriates an unspecified amount of funds to the University of Hawaii for the administration of the working group;

(3) Appropriating:

(A) $360,000 for three full-time equivalent (3.0 FTE) administrative positions for the operation and administration of the Hawaii Broadband and Digital Equity Office; and

(B) $200,000,000 in federal funds to the University of Hawaii for the planning and implementation of a statewide broadband initiative;

(4) Making it effective on July 1, 2022; and

(5) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2076, S.D. 2, H.D. 3, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2076, S.D. 2, H.D. 3, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

____________________________ GREGG TAKAYAMA Co-Chair	____________________________ GLENN WAKAI Chair
____________________________ AARON LING JOHANSON Co-Chair	____________________________ ROSALYN H. BAKER Co-Chair
____________________________ CHRIS TODD Co-Chair	____________________________ BENNETTE MISALUCHA Co-Chair