STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1214-04

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2004

RE: S.B. No. 2909

S.D. 1

H.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2004

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred S.B. No. 2909, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO APPLICATIONS SEEKING GENERAL RATE INCREASES FILED BY PUBLIC UTILITIES HAVING ANNUAL GROSS REVENUES OF LESS THAN $2,000,000,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to streamline the general rate increase filing process for public utility companies with annual gross revenues of less than $2,000,000, by:

(1) Requiring the filing of a standard form application developed by the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) and a public hearing at which consumers may testify on the proposed rate increase;

(2) Establishing time periods for decisions on general rate increase applications; and

(3) Requiring public utilities to file annual financial statements in accordance with the standard chart of accounts approved by the PUC for financial reports.

The PUC, Division of Consumer Advocacy of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, South Kohala Wastewater Corp., Makena Wastewater Corp., Princeville Utilities Company, Inc., Kealia Water Company Holdings LLC, Olowalu Water Co., LLC, Launiupoko Water Co., LLC, Launiupoko Irrigation Co., LLC, U. Development, and Molokai Properties Limited dba Molokai Ranch testified in support of this bill.

Your Committee has amended this bill by:

(1) Amending the effective date to July 1, 2010, to facilitate further discussion; and

(2) Making technical, nonsubstantive changes for clarity and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2909, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2909, S.D. 1,

H.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

 

____________________________

DWIGHT Y. TAKAMINE, Chair