STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2259

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 2000

                                   RE:  S.B. No. 2809
                                        S.D. 1




Honorable Norman Mizuguchi
President of the Senate
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2000
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection, to which
was referred S.B. No. 2809 entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE PUBLIC UTILITIES
     COMMISSION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to clarify the
responsibilities of the Consumer Advocate and the Public
Utilities Commission (PUC) regarding the handling of consumer
complaints and inquiries relating to public utilities.

     Testimony on the measure was received from the PUC,
Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs--Consumer Advocate,
Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc., GTE, and Life of the Land.

     This measure requires the PUC to share the responsibility
for receiving consumer complaints and inquiries about public
utilities with the Consumer Advocate.  It is intended to address
the problem of public confusion regarding the proper agency for
receiving complaints, and supports ongoing efforts between the
Consumer Advocate, the PUC, and the Office of Consumer Protection
to coordinate responsibilities for handling consumer complaints. 

     Upon further consideration, your Committee has amended this
measure to:


 
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                                   STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2259
                                   Page 2


     (1)  Require that the Consumer Advocate assist utility
          customers in the handling of consumer complaints before
          the PUC, concurrent with the PUC's general powers; and

     (2)  Make the PUC the central clearinghouse for consumer
          complaints and inquiries.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection that is attached to
this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and
purpose of S.B. No. 2809, as amended herein, and recommends that
it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B.
No. 2809, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and
Means.

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



                                   ______________________________
                                   BRIAN KANNO, Co-Chair



                                   ______________________________
                                   BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Co-Chair

 
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