STAND. COM. REP. NO. 154

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2005

RE: H.B. No. 865

H.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce, to which was referred H.B. No. 865 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CABLE TELEVISION ACCESS ORGANIZATIONS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to make public, educational, and governmental (PEG) access organizations more accountable to the public by requiring the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA) to include in PEG access organization contracts with DCCA, minimum requirements for public access to the records and meetings of PEG access organizations.

The League of Women Voters testified in support of this bill. The Office of Information Practices testified in support of the bill and proposed amendments. DCCA testified in support of the intent of the bill. A private citizen opposed the measure. Olelo Community Television commented on the bill.

Your Committee finds that PEG access organizations were originally established by DCCA and are funded almost entirely through moneys paid by cable customers. Your Committee supports public access to the records and meetings of these organizations, and believes that the public that finances these access stations should have a say in their policies.

 

Your Committee has amended this measure:

(1) As suggested by OIP, by requiring DCCA to include the records requirements of chapter 92F, Hawaii Revised Statutes, the Uniform Information Practices Act (UIPA), in PEG access organization contracts, thus setting UIPA as the standard for public access to the records of these organizations; and

(2) By making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

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. 865, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 865, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

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

 

____________________________

KENNETH HIRAKI, Chair