STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1778

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 1999

                                   RE:  H.C.R. No. 9
                                        H.D. 1
                                        S.D. 1




Honorable Norman Mizuguchi
President of the Senate
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 1999
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Commerce and Consumer Protection and
Judiciary, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 9, H.D. 1, entitled: 

     "HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE GOVERNOR TO
     DIRECT THE ATTORNEY GENERAL TO VIGOROUSLY PURSUE CIVIL
     LITIGATION OF THE GASOLINE CASE, AND TO EXPRESS HOUSE
     MEMBERS' SUPPORT FOR THIS EFFORT,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to request that the Governor
direct the Attorney General to vigorously pursue the civil
litigation on gasoline price fixing in the State, expedite the
discovery of evidence, seek a trial date within the next two
years, and make periodic reports on the progress of the
litigation.

     An individual who was not present submitted testimony in
support of the measure. 

     Your Committees find that the outcome of the State's pending
lawsuit against certain oil companies for fixing gasoline market
shares and prices is important to the economic well-being of the
State and its residents.  Hawaii's consumers allegedly pay
unreasonably high prices for gasoline which is an essential
commodity for daily living, and, but for the State's legal action
against the oil companies, would have little or no recourse
against the parties responsible for these high gasoline prices. 


 
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                                   STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1778
                                   Page 2


     Your Committees further find that the Senate joins the House
in its concern that the State's lawsuit against the oil companies
be vigorously pursued on behalf of Hawaii's citizens and in its
support of the Attorney General's actions.  Accordingly, your
Committees have amended this measure, including its title, to
reflect that the Legislature, as a whole, supports the Attorney
General's vigorous and timely representation of the State's
citizens in the litigation.    

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your
Committees on Commerce and Consumer Protection and Judiciary that
are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the
intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 9, H.D. 1, as amended herein,
and recommend its adoption in the form attached hereto as H.C.R.
No. 9, H.D. 1, S.D. 1.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committees on Commerce and
                                   Consumer Protection and
                                   Judiciary,



____________________________       ______________________________
AVERY B. CHUMBLEY, Co-Chair        BRIAN KANNO, Co-Chair



____________________________       ______________________________
MATTHEW M. MATSUNAGA, Co-Chair     BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Co-Chair

 
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