CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 152-10

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                 , 2010

 

RE:    H.B. No. 2698

       H.D. 2

       S.D. 2

       C.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2010

State of Hawaii

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2010

State of Hawaii

 

Sir and Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the House of Representatives to the amendments proposed by the Senate in H.B. No. 2698, H.D. 2, S.D. 2, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TECHNOLOGY,"

 

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 bill is to increase access to high-speed  broadband communications for all households, businesses, and organizations throughout Hawaii by, among other things:

 

(1)  Requiring the Director of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA), in conjunction with the expansion of digital cable programming and services, to promote telework and affordable and accessible broadband services in Hawaii;

 

(2)  Authorizing the DCCA Director to employ assistants necessary for these activities without regard to chapter 76;

 

(3)  Establishing the Telework Promotion and Broadband Assistance Advisory Council (Council) to promote telework alternatives and broadband development in Hawaii;

 

(4)  Requiring the administrator of DCCA's Cable Television Division to establish a work group to develop streamlined permitting procedures for broadband services  development; and

 

(5)  Requiring DCCA to report annually to the Legislature on the receipt and expenditure of federal funds for broadband facilities, services, or equipment for broadband related projects.

 

     Your Committee on Conference finds that high-speed broadband is critical infrastructure for advancing every aspect of our society, and is a key element in our recovery from the current recession.  This bill seeks to make statewide access to affordable high-speed broadband a reality in Hawaii by implementing the recommendations of the Hawaii Broadband Task Force established by Act 2, First Special Session Laws of Hawaii 2007.

 

     Your Committee on Conference has amended this bill by:

 

(1)  Providing that the DCCA Director is to facilitate development and deployment of broadband services, instead of digital cable programming and applications, programs, and services;

 

(2)  Requiring the DCCA Director to promote, advocate, and facilitate implementation of the findings and recommendations of the Hawaii Broadband Task Force;

 

(3)  Providing that the Council be composed of 13 instead of 14 members, to be equally appointed by the President of the Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives, instead of the Governor;

 

(4)  Appropriating $500,000 from the Compliance Resolution Fund for fiscal year 2010-2011 to fund DCCA's telework and broadband activities;

(5)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2010; and

 

(6)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

 

     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 H.B. No. 2698, H.D. 2, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2698, H.D. 2, S.D. 2, C.D. 1.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

 

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

 

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

 

____________________________

CAROL FUKUNAGA, Chair

 

____________________________

ANGUS L.K. MCKELVEY, Co-Chair

____________________________

DONNA MERCADO KIM, Co-Chair

 

____________________________

GLENN WAKAI, Co-Chair

 

 

____________________________

KYLE T. YAMASHITA, Co-Chair