Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Housing, to which was referred S.B. No. 2239 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to provide the Wireless Enhanced 911 Board with discretion over management of the Wireless Enhanced 911 Fund.

Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the Department of Accounting and General Services, the Wireless Enhanced 911 Board, and the Honolulu Police Department. Comments were also submitted by Cingular Wireless and Verizon Wireless.

The purpose of the Wireless Enhanced 911 Fund ("Fund") is to assist public safety answering points (PSAP) and wireless carriers in providing and maintaining wireless enhanced 911 services. The Wireless Enhanced 911 Board is charged with overseeing cost-recovery disbursements from the Fund to PSAP and wireless carriers.

Your Committee finds that the Fund is critical in ensuring that wireless services are implemented statewide in the interest of public safety and delivery of emergency services. Your Committee further finds that the Board is in the best position to determine allocations from the Fund in a fair and equitable manner to both PSAP and wireless carriers, and that this measure appropriately gives the Board discretion over the management of the Fund.

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

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 S.B. No. 2239, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2239, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.