STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2014

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2076

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism, to which was referred S.B. No. 2076 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to clarify the duties of the Hawaii Broadband and Digital Equity Office (Office) by:

(1) Defining broadband equity;

(2) Amending the definition of digital equity;

(3) Incorporating broadband equity into the duties of the Office; and

(4) Removing the requirement for the Office to advise the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism on best practices involving remote work promotion.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; Department of Labor and Industrial Relations' Office of Community Services; Common Cause Hawaii; Hawaii Primary Care Association; League of Women Voters of Hawaii; Chamber of Commerce Hawaii; Ocean Networks, Inc.; Broadband Hui; Maunakea Observatories; Maui Chamber of Commerce; and two individuals.

Your Committee finds that the development of broadband technology is vital to the well-being of the State's residents and communities. Accordingly, the Legislature enacted Act 225, Session Laws of Hawaii 2021, which, in part, established the Office to broaden access to this technology throughout the State. Your Committee further finds that it is important to integrate broadband equity into the duties of the Office to provide access to students and teachers engaged in remote learning; workers performing their duties remotely; health professionals and patients, including kupuna, who rely on telemedicine; and others in rural, unserved, and underserved communities. Your Committee also finds that the broadened scope of duties of the Office necessitates an increase of resources for the Office to perform its additional responsibilities.

Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting language that allows the Hawaii Broadband and Digital Equity Office to procure professional services to carry out its duties;

(2) Inserting an appropriation of $867,500 for five full-time equivalent (5.00 FTE) administrative positions; and

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

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 is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2076, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2076, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection.

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

________________________________

GLENN WAKAI, Chair