STAND. COM. REP. NO.  383

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

RE:   H.B. No. 1229

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Economic Development & Business Concerns, to which was referred H.B. No. 1229 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE ACCESS HAWAII COMMITTEE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of the measure is to formally reenact the substantive provisions of Act 292, Session Laws of Hawaii 2000, which established the Access Hawaii Committee to oversee the management of the State's internet portal to expand access to information and government services over the Internet.

     The Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Department of Accounting and General Services, State Procurement Office, and the County of Kauai submitted testimony in support of this measure.  The Judiciary submitted comments on this measure.

     Your Committee finds the original sunset date for the Access Hawaii Committee was 2003, and that the sunset date was extended to 2005.  Since 2005, however, the Access Hawaii Committee has ceased to exist, but committee members have continued to meet informally.  Your Committee further finds that it is to the benefit of the residents of Hawaii to reestablish and continue the committee permanently.  This will allow the Access Hawaii Committee to continue to oversee the State's portal manager to ensure that the State's internet resources are available on a regular basis to individuals and businesses.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the effective date to July 1, 2034, in order to facilitate further discussion.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Economic Development & Business Concerns that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1229, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1229, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Economic Development & Business Concerns,

____________________________

KYLE T. YAMASHITA, Chair