REPORT TITLE:
PUC


DESCRIPTION:
Establishes an underground conversion fund administered by the
public utilities commission with funds deposited from legislative
appropriations, voluntary contributions and utilities as
authorized by the PUC.  Requires PUC to establish cost
allocations for counties that determine underground zones through
special improvement districts by ordinance.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                        3151
THE SENATE                              S.B. NO.           
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2000                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                   A  BILL  FOR  AN  ACT

RELATING TO UNDERGROUNDING OF UTILITY LINES.



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

 1      SECTION 1.  Chapter 269, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended
 
 2 by adding two new sections to be appropriately designated and to
 
 3 read as follows:
 
 4      "§269-A  Underground conversion fund.  (a)  There is
 
 5 established in the state treasury the underground conversion
 
 6 fund, which shall be administered by the commission.  The
 
 7 following revenues shall be deposited into the fund:
 
 8      (1)  Legislative appropriations;
 
 9      (2)  Voluntary contributions including any contributions
 
10           paid along with state income tax due or amounts paid in
 
11           excess of a utility bill that is part of a "round-up"
 
12           program; and
 
13      (3)  Contributions by a utility by order of the commission.
 
14      (b)  All moneys from the fund shall be used for the
 
15 conversion of overhead utility lines to underground facilities.
 
16 The conversion of overhead utility lines includes the planning,
 
17 design, and construction of the new facilities and the removal of
 
18 the old overhead facilities.
 
19      (c)  The commission shall establish criteria allocating
 

 
Page 2                                                     3151
                                     S.B. NO.           
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1 funds to counties that determine undergrounding zones through
 
 2 special improvement districts by ordinance.
 
 3      (d)  The commission shall adopt rules according to
 
 4 chapter 91 to carry out the administration of the fund.
 
 5      §269-B  Allocation of revenues to underground conversion
 
 6 fund.  (a)  The commission shall establish an annual allocation
 
 7 of revenues from each utility company having above ground
 
 8 facilities.  The allocation shall be deposited into the
 
 9 underground conversion fund established in section 269-A.
 
10 Revenues allocated annually to the fund by each utility shall not
 
11 exceed two per cent of the annual gross revenues of the utility.
 
12      (b)  The commission shall allow the utilities to collect
 
13 voluntary contributions by consumers for deposit into the fund
 
14 through a "round-up" program.  A round-up program is a program in
 
15 which consumers may choose to round their utility bill up to the
 
16 nearest dollar.  The difference between the actual bill and the
 
17 rounded amount is deposited into the underground conversion fund.
 
18 The round-up program shall be administered by the utility.  All
 
19 funds collected by a utility in a round-up program shall be
 
20 deposited monthly into the underground conversion fund.  Any
 
21 funds collected by a utility through a round-up program shall be
 
22 excluded in determining the annual gross revenue of the utility."
 
23      SECTION 2.  Chapter 235, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended
 

 
Page 3                                                     3151
                                     S.B. NO.           
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1 by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to
 
 2 read as follows:
 
 3      "§235-     Voluntary contributions to the underground
 
 4 conversion fund.  The director shall allow for taxpayers to
 
 5 designate and pay a voluntary contribution to the underground
 
 6 conversion fund on their annual income tax return.  The voluntary
 
 7 contribution shall be added to the final income tax due or
 
 8 subtracted from any refund due and may be allocated to the
 
 9 underground conversion fund, if applicable."
 
10      SECTION 3.  In codifying the new sections added by section 1
 
11 of this Act, the revisor of statutes shall substitute appropriate
 
12 section numbers for the letters used in the new sections
 
13 designated in this Act.
 
14      SECTION 4.  New statutory material is underscored.
 
15      SECTION 5.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.
 
16 
 
17                           INTRODUCED BY:  _______________________