STAND. COM. REP. NO.  802

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2011

RE:   H.B. No. 1342

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 1342, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TELECOMMUNICATIONS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to expedite the deployment of high-speed broadband technology in Hawaii by exempting:

     (1)  Certain broadband infrastructure improvements from state and county permitting requirements; and

     (2)  A person or entity from any requirement to upgrade or replace existing utility poles when using that pole to install new or improve existing telecommunications cables, under certain conditions.

     The University of Hawaii System, The Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii, Hawaiian Telcom, Hawaiian Electric Company, Hawaii Electric Light Company, and Maui Electric Company supported this bill.  The Office of Environmental Quality Control and the Department of Planning and Permitting of the City and County of Honolulu opposed this measure.  The Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Department of Accounting and General Services, Department of Transportation, and tw telecom submitted comments. 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1342, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

____________________________

MARCUS R. OSHIRO, Chair