STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2814

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2076

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Commerce and Consumer Protection and Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2076, S.D. 1, entitled:

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

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Define broadband equity;

(2) Clarify the Hawaii Broadband and Digital Equity Office's duties to promote and support digital equity and broadband deployment; and

(3) Appropriate funds to the Hawaii Broadband and Digital Equity Office for five FTE positions.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health; Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; State Council on Developmental Disabilities; State Council on Mental Health; Common Cause Hawaii; League of Women Voters of Hawaii; members of the Broadband Hui; Hawai‘i Primary Care Association; Maui Chamber of Commerce; and one individual. Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance and one individual.

Your Committees find that there is an emerging digital divide between those with access to the Internet and those without. Even where sufficient broadband infrastructure is available, many individuals with disabilities face obstacles to digital access. It is important for the State to ensure equal access to those individuals. This measure supports the Hawaii Broadband and Digital Equity Office's efforts by defining broadband equity and appropriating funds for additional full-time positions.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting a blank appropriation amount for an unspecified number of full-time positions;

(2) Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

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

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Commerce and Consumer Protection and Ways and Means that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2076, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2076, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Commerce and Consumer Protection and Ways and Means,

________________________________ DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair

________________________________ ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair