STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2052

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2393

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Economic Development and Taxation, to which was referred S.B. No. 2393 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TECHNOLOGY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to amend Act 2, First Special Session Laws of Hawaii 2007 (Act 2), to appropriate funds for the Hawaii Broadband Task Force for fiscal year 2008-2009.

     Testimony in support of this measure was received from the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, the High Technology Development Corporation, and a member of the Hawaii Broadband Task Force (Task Force).

     Your Committee finds that the Task Force has submitted an interim report to the Legislature, as required by Act 2, which outlines the vision for broadband in Hawaii and the work of the Task Force since it began meeting in October 2007.  The Task Force reports that broadband offers immense opportunities for social, economic, and education advancement in Hawaii – opportunities that may soon exceed current broadband capabilities.

     Your Committee has heard that in the coming year, the Task Force plans to hold a series of informational briefings to demonstrate broadband applications, and will collect the quantitative data on the availability of current services that will be necessary to develop sound policy recommendations.  Funding required to support these activities and complete the final report due to the 2009 Legislature is estimated as follows:

     (1)  $115,000 for GIS-based mapping of broadband availability throughout Hawaii;

     (2)  $115,000 for data collection on broadband uptake patterns, including who is not using broadband and why; and

     (3)  $70,000 for professional services to assist with preparation of final recommendations, including any necessary legal assistance.

     Your Committee has amended this measure accordingly by:

     (1)  Restoring the $50,000 appropriation for fiscal year 2007-2008 that was authorized by Act 2 and appropriating $300,000 for fiscal year 2008-2009; and

     (2)  Making a technical amendment to add the pre-existing standard appropriation language to correct a drafting omission.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Economic Development and Taxation that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2393, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2393, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Economic Development and Taxation,

____________________________

CAROL FUKUNAGA, Chair