STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2283

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 3048

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism, to which was referred S.B. No. 3048 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HAWAII BROADBAND AND DIGITAL EQUITY OFFICE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish the Digital Equity Grant Program to award grants to applicants to deploy digital equity projects to covered populations in the State.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs; State Council on Developmental Disabilities; Kapolei Chamber of Commerce; Broadband Hui; Vibrant Hawaiʻi; Chamber of Commerce Hawaii; IT Reuse Hawaiʻi; Hawaiian Telcom; and six individuals.

Your Committee finds that digital equity in every community across the State is essential to the well-being and economic realities of the State's residents. Your Committee further finds that the lack of digital equity has had a tremendously negative effect in many areas, but particularly rural and socio-economically disadvantaged communities. This measure will enable the Hawaii Broadband and Digital Equity Office to work with rural and underserved communities to identify and address barriers to digital equity and to establish a Digital Equity Grant Program so that individuals and communities in the State have the access and the ability to be full participants in the digital economy.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting an effective date of January 1, 2060, to encourage further discussion; and

(2) 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. 3048, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3048, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committees on Ways and Means and Judiciary.

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

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LYNN DECOITE, Chair