Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Housing, to which was referred H.B. No. 556 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to make an emergency appropriation of $3,050,000 for fiscal year 2004-2005 from the wireless enhanced 911 fund.

Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the Department of Accounting and General Services.

Your Committee finds that beginning July 1, 2004, wireless phone lines have been assessed a fee of $.66 per month, as required by Act 159, Session Laws of Hawaii 2004, to be paid into the wireless enhanced 911 fund. However, no accompanying appropriation from the fund was made to allow the wireless enhanced 911 board to meet its basic operational needs, including travel reimbursements for board members, the ability to execute professional services contracts for operations, and the ability to adequately reimburse public safety answer points and wireless carriers for improvements made to enhance 911 service. Therefore, your Committee determines that the emergency appropriation from the funds is necessary to allow the wireless enhanced 911 board to fulfill its intended purpose.

Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive changes.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 556, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 556, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.