Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Transportation, Military Affairs and Government Operations, to which was referred S.R. No. 45 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish policies for Capitol Television cablecasts of Senate proceedings.

The Senate Minority leader submitted testimony in support of this measure, with a proposed amendment. The Disability and Communication Access Board submitted a proposed amendment to this measure.

Your Committee finds that Capitol Television began cablecasting Senate proceedings on a pilot basis in 1994, and its contract has been renewed every session since then. Cablecasting Senate proceedings enables the public to become better informed regarding the issues being considered by the Legislature, thereby facilitating more effective participation in the democratic process.

Your Committee amended this measure to require that all cablecasts of Senate proceedings be close captioned for the hearing impaired if sufficient funding is available for that purpose.

Your Committee also amended this measure to require the Majority Floor Leader, who bears primary responsibility for the cablecast policies, to consult with the Minority Leader when making decisions related to special programming. Inclusion of the Minority Leader has been standard practice since inception of the program.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Transportation, Military Affairs and Government Operations that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.R. No. 45, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.R. No. 45, S.D. 1.