REPORT TITLE:
PUC; Conversion Fund


DESCRIPTION:
Establishes a special fund to be used towards the conversion of
utility lines from overhead to underground.  Authorizes the
collection of an allocation from utilities and voluntary
contributions from consumers to help fund the fund.  Permits
taxpayers to contribute to the fund through their tax returns.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                        
THE SENATE                              S.B. NO.           2287
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2000                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                   A  BILL  FOR  AN  ACT

RELATING TO THE PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION. 


BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 1      SECTION 1.  Chapter 235, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended
 
 2 by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to
 
 3 read as follows:
 
 4      "§235-    Voluntary contributions to the underground
 
 5 conversion fund.  The director shall allow taxpayers to designate
 
 6 and pay a voluntary contribution to the underground conversion
 
 7 fund on their annual income tax return.  The voluntary
 
 8 contribution shall be added to the final income tax due or
 
 9 subtracted from any refund due and may be allocated to the
 
10 underground conversion fund, if applicable.  All contributions
 
11 under this section shall be paid into the underground conversion
 
12 fund established in section 269-A."
 
13      SECTION 2.  Chapter 269, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended
 
14 by adding two new sections to be appropriately designated and to
 
15 read as follows:
 
16      "§269-A  Underground conversion fund.  (a)  There is
 
17 established in the state treasury the underground conversion
 
18 fund, which shall be administered by the commission.  The
 
19 following revenues shall be deposited into the fund:
 

 
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                                     S.B. NO.           2287
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1      (1)  Legislative appropriations;
 
 2      (2)  Voluntary contributions, including any contributions
 
 3           paid under section 235-   with state income tax due or
 
 4           amounts paid in excess of a utility bill that is part
 
 5           of a "round-up" program under section 269-B; and
 
 6      (3)  Contributions by a utility by order of the commission.
 
 7      (b)  All moneys in the fund shall be used for the conversion
 
 8 of overhead utility lines to underground facilities.
 
 9 The conversion of overhead utility lines includes the planning,
 
10 design, and construction of the new facilities and the removal of
 
11 the old overhead facilities.
 
12      (c)  The commission shall establish criteria allocating
 
13 funds to counties that determine undergrounding zones through
 
14 special improvement districts by ordinance.
 
15      (d)  The commission shall adopt rules according to chapter
 
16 91 to carry out the administration of the fund.
 
17      §269-B  Allocation of revenues to underground conversion
 
18 fund.  (a)  The commission shall establish an annual allocation
 
19 of revenues from each utility company having above ground
 
20 facilities.  The allocation shall be deposited into the
 
21 underground conversion fund established in section 269-A.
 
22 Revenues allocated annually to the fund by each utility shall not
 
23 exceed two per cent of the annual gross revenues of the utility.
 

 
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                                     S.B. NO.           2287
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1      (b)  The commission shall allow the utilities to collect
 
 2 voluntary contributions by consumers for deposit into the fund
 
 3 through a "round-up" program.  A round-up program is a program in
 
 4 which consumers may choose to round their utility bill up to the
 
 5 nearest dollar.  The difference between the actual bill and the
 
 6 rounded amount is deposited into the underground conversion fund.
 
 7 The round-up program shall be administered by the utility.  All
 
 8 funds collected by a utility in a round-up program shall be
 
 9 deposited monthly into the underground conversion fund.  Any
 
10 funds collected by a utility through a round-up program shall be
 
11 excluded in determining the annual gross revenue of the utility
 
12 under chapters 235 and 239."
 
13      SECTION 3.  In codifying the new sections added by section 2
 
14 of this Act, the revisor of statutes shall substitute appropriate
 
15 section numbers for the letters used in the new sections
 
16 designated in this Act.
 
17      SECTION 4.  New statutory material is underscored.
 
18      SECTION 5.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.
 
19 
 
20                           INTRODUCED BY:  _______________________