STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3173

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 2000

                                   RE:  S.C.R. No. 171
                                        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.C.R. No. 171 entitled:

     "SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE PUBLIC
     UTILITIES COMMISSION TO CONVENE A WORKING GROUP TO STUDY THE
     FEASIBILITY OF IMPLEMENTING A ONE-CALL SYSTEM FOR THE
     LOCATION OF UNDERGROUND FACILITIES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to study the feasibility of
establishing a one-call system that would centralize knowledge
and participation of all affected parties regarding underground
facilities.

     This measure:

     (1)  Requests the Public Utilities Commission to convene a
          working group to study the feasibility of establishing
          a one-call system; and

     (2)  Requires the working group to consist of
          representatives from the Division of Consumer Advocacy,
          the Department of Health, The Department of
          Transportation, the Board of Water Supply, the
          counties, the General Contractors Association, Life of
          the Land, the utility industry, the gasoline and oil
          industries, and the cable television industry.


 
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     Testimony was received from the Department of Commerce and
Consumer Affairs, the Public Utilities Commission, AT&T, Tesoro
Hawaii, Kauai Electric and The Gas Company, Na Leo Pohai,
Hawaiian Electric Company and its subsidiaries Hawaii Electric
Light Company and Maui Electric Company, and GTE.

     Your Committee finds that a one-call system would centralize
knowledge and participation with respect to underground
facilities which would help prevent any conflicts between
existing facilities and new excavations.

     Your Committee finds that a feasibility study of a one-call
system is of vital importance, however, the Public Utilities
Commission is not the appropriate agency to lead and convene the
working group due to its lack of resources and expertise in
marking underground facilities.  Accordingly, your Committee has
amended this measure by:

     (1)  Replacing the Public Utilities Commission with the
          Department of Transportation as the lead agency which
          shall convene the working group;

     (2)  Adding USA North to the working group; and

     (3)  Changing the title of this measure to reflect the
          change to the Department of Transportation as the lead
          agency.

     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 concurs with the intent and purpose
of S.C.R. No. 171, as amended herein, and recommends that it be
referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, in the form attached
hereto as S.C.R. No. 171, S.D. 1.

                                   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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