REPORT TITLE:
PUC; Conversion Fund


DESCRIPTION:
Establishes an underground conversion fund to fund the conversion
of utility lines from overhead to underground placement.
Allocates excess moneys in the PUC special fund to the
underground conversion fund.  Permits taxpayers to contribute to
the fund through their tax returns.  (SD1)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                        2287
THE SENATE                              S.B. NO.           S.D. 1
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.  All contributions under this
 
10 section shall be paid into the underground conversion fund
 
11 established in section 269-  ."
 
12      SECTION 2.  Chapter 269, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended
 
13 by a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as
 
14 follows:
 
15      "§269-     Underground conversion fund.  (a)  There is
 
16 established in the state treasury the underground conversion
 
17 fund, which shall be administered by the commission.  The
 
18 following revenues shall be deposited into the fund:
 
19      (1)      per cent of moneys in excess of $1,000,000 in the
 

 
Page 2                                                     2287
                                     S.B. NO.           S.D. 1
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1           public utilities special fund at the end of each fiscal
 
 2           year; provided that this sum shall be calculated prior
 
 3           to the application of section 269-33(d); and
 
 4      (2)  Voluntary contributions, including any contributions
 
 5           paid under section 235-   .
 
 6      (b)  All moneys in the fund shall be used for the conversion
 
 7 of overhead utility lines to underground facilities.  The
 
 8 conversion of overhead utility lines includes the planning,
 
 9 design, and construction of the new facilities and the removal of
 
10 the old overhead facilities.
 
11      (c)  The commission shall establish criteria allocating
 
12 funds to counties that determine undergrounding zones through
 
13 special improvement districts by ordinance.
 
14      (d)  The commission shall adopt rules according to chapter
 
15 91 to carry out the administration of the fund."
 
16      SECTION 3.  New statutory material is underscored.
 
17      SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.