STAND. COM. REP. NO. 507

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 1329

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 1329 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE SALARY OF THE PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSIONERS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

 

     (1)  Align the salary of the Public Utilities Commission Chairperson with the highest pay tier of a supervising deputy attorney general; and

 

     (2)  Align the salary of the other Public Utilities Commissioners with the lowest pay tier of the first deputy attorney general.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Division of Consumer Advocacy of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Public Utilities Commission, and one individual.

 

     Your Committee finds that the Public Utilities Commission protects the public interest by overseeing and regulating public utilities to ensure they provide reliable service at reasonable and just rates.  Furthermore, the Commission's workload has grown substantially, particularly in the electricity sector where complex issues relating to the State's one hundred percent renewable energy portfolio standard and other energy policies continue to be investigated.  Given the Commission's complex scope of work, it is important that the State raise the salaries of the Public Utilities Commission Chairperson and other commissioners to attract and retain the most qualified candidates for these positions.  A salary increase will also help mitigate the significant travel expenses of candidates who are residents of neighbor islands who must often travel to Honolulu to carry out their duties as commissioners.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Clarifying that the Chairperson of the Public Utilities Commission shall be paid a salary equal to the highest pay tier of the first deputy attorney general of the Department of the Attorney General; and

 

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1329, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1329, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

 

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

 

 

 

________________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair