STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1951-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: S.B. No. 2076

S.D. 2

H.D. 3

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred S.B. No. 2076, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Establish the Hawaii Broadband Infrastructure Authority;

(2) Clarify the Hawaii Broadband and Digital Equity Office's role relating to broadband access and digital equity, including repealing the responsibility of the Office to promote the landing of trans-Pacific submarine cable; and

(3) Appropriate federal and state funds.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of Enterprise Technology Services; Disability and Communication Access Board; State Council on Mental Health; State Council on Developmental Disabilities; Common Cause Hawaii; Ocean Networks, Inc.; League of Women Voters of Hawaii; and one individual. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance; Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs; Department of Transportation; University of Hawai‘i System; Hawaiian Telcom; Maui Chamber of Commerce; and one individual.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Removing its substantive provisions;

(2) Requiring the University of Hawaii and Hawaii Broadband and Digital Equity Office to convene a working group to determine the appropriate governance structure to implement, operate, and maintain broadband infrastructure development in the State;

(3) Removing the appropriation of federal funds;

(4) Changing the expending agency and purpose of the general fund appropriation to the University of Hawaii and the administration of the working group, respectively; and

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

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

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair