STAND. COM. REP. NO. 767

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: H.B. No. 963

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce, to which was referred H.B. No. 963, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO BROADBAND,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Appropriate $33,000,000 to provide required matching funds for the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program;

(2) Appropriate $95,000,000 in fiscal year 2023-2024 from funds the State received from the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act; and

(3) Make unspecified general fund appropriations for the 2023-2025 fiscal biennium to provide additional matching funds for federal broadband-related programs.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of the Lieutenant Governor; Department of Budget and Finance; Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; University of Hawai‘i System; State Council on Developmental Disabilities; AARP Hawai‘i; Hawai‘i Primary Care Association; and Maui Chamber of Commerce.

Your Committee finds that the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic brought to light the need for broadband infrastructure and digital equity throughout the State. Your Committee further finds that the federal government has identified having robust broadband infrastructure as a priority and has dedicated funding for digital equity programs across the country. This measure appropriates state funds as a match for those federal funds in order to expand broadband services and digital equity in the State.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 963, H.D. 1, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce,

____________________________

MARK M. NAKASHIMA, Chair