Report Title:

The One Call Center

Description:

Protects Hawaii's underground infrastructure by making the One Call Center pilot program permanent.  Since 2004, the Center has become the central database for utility operators, contractors, and excavators attempting to locate underground gas, electric, telecommunication, cable, water, and sewer lines.

THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	877
TWENTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE, 2009
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING TO THE ONE CALL CENTER.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that the deployment and complexity of underground infrastructure in this State has steadily increased over the past several decades.  The legislature further finds, and is concerned with, the increasing dependence by the public, and all levels of government, on the safe and reliable provision of services that are delivered by subsurface facilities, including, but not limited to, electricity, water, drainage, sewer, telecommunications, cable television, oil, petroleum products, gas, optical signals, traffic control, and hazardous liquids.  A consequence of increased dependence on these utilities and services is an increase in the need for protecting them from disruption, and avoiding the attendant direct and indirect costs, damages, and injuries caused by their disruption.

     To address the above concerns, the legislature, pursuant to Act 141, Session Laws of Hawaii 2004, mandated that the public utilities commission establish and begin operations, by or before January 1, 2006, of a one call center to provide advance warning to excavators in this State of the location of subsurface installations in areas of proposed excavation for the purpose of protecting those installations from damage.  Act 141, codified as chapter 269E, Hawaii Revised Statutes, included a repeal date of June 30, 2009.

     Although after two years of operations the one call center is still in a growth stage with respect to the maximum coordination of its efforts, the legislature believes that the one call center has been successful in its role as provider of advance warning to excavators of the location of subsurface installations, and concomitant protection of underground facilities, and continues to benefit the general public and governmental entities.

     The purpose of this Act is to repeal the June 30, 2009 sunset provision in Act 141.

     SECTION 2.  Act 141, Session Laws of Hawaii 2004, as amended by section 51 of Act 22, Session Laws of Hawaii 2005, is amended by amending section 7 to read as follows:

     "SECTION 7.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2004[, and shall be repealed on June 30, 2009; provided that sections 269-30 and 269-33, Hawaii Revised Statutes, shall be reenacted in the form in which they read on the day before the effective date of this Act]."

     SECTION 3.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.

     SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________
	By Request