STAND. COM. REP. NO.  456-08

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2008

RE:   H.B. No. 3367

      H.D. 2

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce, to which was referred H.B. No. 3367, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO WIRELESS ENHANCED 911,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to ensure the proper administration of the Wireless Enhanced 911 Fund (Fund) by:

(1)  Making the monthly Wireless Enhanced 911 Surcharge (Surcharge) discretionary rather than mandatory;

     (2)  Reducing the Surcharge, from 66 cents to 43 cents;

     (3)  Provide that reimbursements from the Fund for certain costs are to supplement, but not supplant, funds regularly appropriated for those purposes;

     (4)  Requiring the Wireless Enhanced 911 Board's (Board) annual report to the Legislature to:

          (A)  Be submitted at least twenty days prior to the convening of each regular session;

          (B)  Specify the level of surcharge necessary to fund the Board's expenses and planned expenditures; and

          (C)  Propose to refund surplus surcharge funds;

     and

     (5)  Requiring the Auditor to conduct a financial and management audit of the Fund.

     The Honolulu Police Department testified in support of this bill with amendments.  The Department of Accounting and General Services opposed this measure.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by deleting its contents, except for the provision requiring the Auditor to conduct a financial and management audit of the Fund.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 3367, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 3367, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce,

____________________________

ROBERT N. HERKES, Chair