STAND. COM. REP. 3239

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2004

RE: H.B. No. 2191

H.D. 1

S.D. 2

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2004

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 2191, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ENTERPRISE ZONES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to allow broad band distributed networks to operate in state enterprise zones.

A broad band distributed network provides data and voice communication access to the public. Currently, however, these services, by law, are not available in state enterprise zones. This restriction affects many businesses and organizations, including the majority of Department of Hawaiian Home Lands communities that are located primarily in state enterprise zones. The restriction is especially onerous to Hawaiian communities who are not able to participate in distance learning, tele-medicine, e-commerce and other digital education, healthcare, and economic development opportunities.

This bill removes the restriction on broad band distributed networks in state enterprise zones and in so doing, removes the handicap that has plagued business, cultural, and educational growth in enterprise zones.

Your Committee has amended the bill by changing the effective date to February 29, 2010 to promote further discussion on the bill. To reflect accepted drafting conventions, a nonsubstantive amendment also has been made to delete Ramseyer language that indicated the repeal of statutory language as the bill repeals no statutory language.

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 H.B. No. 2191, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2191, H.D. 1, S.D. 2.

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

____________________________

BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair