CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 165

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: S.B. No. 1327

S.D. 1

H.D. 1

C.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

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. 1327, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE USE OF ELECTRONIC FILING BY THE PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION,"

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 authorize the Public Utilities Commission to use electronic filing processes, including electronic service of documents, under the statutory chapters regulating public utilities, motor carriers, and water carriers.

Your Committee on Conference finds that under existing law, public utilities, motor carriers, and water carriers must file or serve hard copies of documents with the Public Utilities Commission (PUC). These filings can often exceed ten thousand pages and fill ten to fifteen boxes. During the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, electronic filings to the PUC were temporarily allowed, dramatically streamlining the filing process. This measure makes those operational improvements permanent, thus enhancing the regulatory process for the PUC and its staff, as well as stakeholders, regulated utilities, and the public.

Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the effective date to upon its approval; and

(2) 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. 1327, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1327, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

____________________________ RICHARD H.K. ONISHI Co-Chair	____________________________ JARRETT KEOHOKALOLE Chair
____________________________ LISA KITAGAWA Co-Chair