STAND. COM. REP. NO. 223

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 1999

                                 RE: H.B. No. 661
                                     H.D. 1




Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 1999
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 661
entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ENHANCED WIRELESS EMERGENCY
     911 SERVICE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to enhance 911 service for
wireless phone users. 

     Testimony supporting the bill was received from the Police
Departments of the City and County of Honolulu and the County of
Hawaii.  Testimony supporting the intent of the bill was received
from the Department of Health.

     Testimony in support of a bill with amendments providing for
a limit on liability for wireless companies providing wireless
enhanced 911 service was received from GTE Hawaiian Tel, Honolulu
Cellular Telephone Company, and Ameritech Cellular.  Testimony
commenting on the proposed bill was received from the Office of
Information Practices.

     Testimony opposing the bill was received from the Department
of Commerce and Consumer Affairs.

     Your Committee finds that it is in the public interest to
establish a cost recovery mechanism in accordance with the
Federal Communications Commission Order so that the citizens of
Hawaii who use commercial mobile phone service will realize the

 
 
                                 STAND. COM. REP. NO. 223
                                 Page 2

 
benefits of wireless enhanced 911 service.  Your Committee also
finds that a reasonable limitation of liability for wireless
companies providing wireless enhanced services should be
provided.

     Your Committee has amended the bill by:

     (1)  Inserting language contained in section -8 of S.B. No.
          778 (1999) that addresses limited liability protection
          for wireless 911 service;

     (2)  Inserting language that clarifies when an audit report
          reflecting the costs to operate a wireless enhanced 911
          system is due;

     (3)  Deleting language treating audited reports as
          proprietary information; 

     (4)  Making proprietary information subject to disclosure
          under chapter 92F, Hawaii Revised Statutes; and

     (5)  Making technical, nonsubstantive changes for purposes
          of style and clarity.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your
Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No.
661, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second
Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 661, H.D. 1, and
be referred to the Committee on Consumer Protection and Commerce.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committee on Health,



                                   ______________________________
                                   ALEXANDER C. SANTIAGO, Chair