STAND. COM. REP. NO. 741

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 1848

       S.D. 2

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 1848, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

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

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to provide additional funding to support public, educational, and governmental access channels of cable television in underserved areas of the State.

 

     More specifically, the measure authorizes the Director of Commerce and Consumer Affairs to use moneys in the compliance resolution fund, after the operational expenses for the administration of cable television are met.  Additionally, the measure clarifies that annual fees paid by cable operators may be used to support public, educational, or governmental access facilities, equipment, and operations for underserved areas.

 

     The Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs submitted comments on the measure.

 

     Your Committee finds that, in 2003, the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs conducted a number of public meetings throughout the State relating to public, educational, and governmental access channels on cable television.  The public comments identified a number of areas underserved by these required access channels.  However, your Committee further finds that there are already uses planned for these compliance resolution funds to enhance the Institutional Network, which allows Hawaii state government and education to serve the public statewide.  While acknowledging value of PEG access in underserved areas, the Committee recognizes that continued expansion of the Institutional Network is of critical importance to the entire State of Hawaii.

 

     Accordingly, upon further consideration, your Committee has amended this bill to:

 

     (1)  Clarify that the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs's use of moneys from the compliance resolution funds shall not negatively impact the development of the institutional network; and

 

     (2)  Make technical nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and style.

 

     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. 1848, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1848, S.D. 2.

 

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

 

 

 

____________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair