STAND. COM. REP. NO.  416-20

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2020

 

RE:   H.B. No. 1680

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce, to which was referred H.B. No. 1680, H.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ENHANCED 911 SERVICES,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to establish a prepaid wireless E911 surcharge to provide parity across all consumers in funding the deployment and sustainment of enhanced 911 (E911) service and development of future E911 technologies.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Department of Accounting and General Services, Office of Enterprise Technology Services, Tax Foundation of Hawaii, and one individual.

 

Your Committee finds that the monies collected and placed into the Enhanced 911 Fund provide funding to deploy and sustain E911 service and develop and fund future E911 technologies.  Your Committee also finds, however, that monies are only collected from postpaid wireless consumers, not prepaid wireless consumers.  This measure will address the inequity of one consumer group subsidizing an essential service utilized by all consumer groups.

 

     Should your Committee on Finance decide to hear this measure, your Committee respectfully requests that it consider deferring its implementation to July 1, 2022.

 

     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. 1680, H.D. 1, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance.

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

ROY M. TAKUMI, Chair