Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2004

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2912, S.D. 1, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to authorize the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs to implement a three-year pilot program to provide supplemental funding to support public, educational, and governmental cable television access in underserved areas of the State.

In addition, this measure appropriates funds from the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs compliance resolution fund for the initial year of the pilot program.

Your Committee finds that due to the island geography of the State, many residents are not afforded even basic community media services. This measure will advance an important policy objective - to provide equitable availability of community access media - by providing public, educational, and governmental access organizations with resources to improve facilities in underserved areas.

Further, your Committee finds that achieving this goal calls for an improved distribution of current cable franchise fees rather than adding new fees.

Your Committee has amended the measure by changing the amount appropriated from $1 to a blank amount for the purpose of continuing discussion on the issue.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2912, S.D. 1 and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2912, S.D. 2.