STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1259-08

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2008

 

RE:   S.B. No. 2191

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce, to which was referred S.B. No. 2191, S.D. 2, entitled:

 

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

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this bill is to promote the public health and safety by requiring the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to conduct a statewide study focusing on one priority region per county where utility lines are prone to falling or damage, for the purpose of developing a plan, in consultation with utilities and communities, to place overhead utility lines underground.

 

     Several concerned individuals testified in support of this bill.  The Consumer Advocate and PUC submitted comments.

 

Your Committee finds that the damage caused by, and the extended power outages resulting from, downed utility lines is a matter of grave concern that significantly impacts upon the public health, safety, and welfare.  It is therefore the belief of your Committee that this is a matter of civil defense, and that it should be the responsibility of the Civil Defense Division of the Department of Defense to undertake a study with regard to the undergrounding of utility lines on a statewide level.


 

     Your Committee has amended this bill by changing its effective date to July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion.

 

     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 S.B. No. 2191, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2191, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

ROBERT N. HERKES, Chair