STAND. COM. REP. NO.794

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2003

RE: S.B. No. 498

S.D. 2

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 498, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require the Public Utilities Commission to maintain a web site that includes all decisions and orders issued by the Commission and lists all open dockets, all upcoming meetings, and all pending deadlines.

This bill also:

(1) Requires applicants to submit applications to the Public Utilities Commission in electronic format, excluding any confidential information submitted as part of the application;

(2) Provides for the time period within which the Commission is required to take action to commence upon the posting of a substantially completed filing on the web site;

(3) Authorizes the Commission to hire necessary personnel; and

(4) Appropriates funds from the Public Utilities Commission Special Fund.

Your Committee finds that this measure will promote a more open government by providing timely public access to Public Utilities Commission actions, information, and proceedings. This measure will also serve to encourage greater participation in government by addressing the due process concerns of potential intervenors.

Your Committee has amended this measure by further clarifying that applicants need only submit their application forms, and not any supporting documents, in PDF format. Your Committee does not want the system overburdened with the filing of supporting documents that can amount to thousands of pages. Your Committee also made a technical nonsubstantive change to correct grammar.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 498, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 498, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair