STAND. COM. REP. NO.  192

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2017

 

RE:   H.B. No. 871

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection, to which was referred H.B. No. 871 entitled:

 

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

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to ensure that only legal occupants on real property may have an electric power connection installed upon the premises or have an account or service transferred to that power connection by prohibiting electric utilities from installing power connections or transferring accounts or services without owner or legal occupant consent.

 

     The Office of the Prosecuting Attorney of the Counties of Hawaii and Kauai supported this measure.  The Division of Consumer Advocacy of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs supported the intent of this measure.  Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc. and its subsidiaries Maui Electric Company, Limited and Hawaii Electric Light Company Inc. opposed this measure.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by changing its effective date to January 28, 2081, to encourage further discussion.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 871, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 871, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

 

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

CHRIS LEE, Chair