STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2753

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 3103

       S.D. 2

 

 

 

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 3103, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

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

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish an E911 surcharge of 66 cents on each retail transaction of a prepaid wireless telecommunication service similar to the enhanced 911 surcharge imposed on postpaid wireless communication services.

 

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of the Attorney General, Department of Accounting and General Services, State of Hawaii Enhanced 911 Board Legislative Committee, City and County of Honolulu Police Department, the County of Maui Police Department, The Wireless Association, Verizon, and AT&T.  Written comments in opposition were received from the Hawaii Food Industry Association.  The Tax Foundation of Hawaii submitted written comments on the measure.

 

     Your Committee notes that approximately twenty per cent of all wireless consumers use a prepaid wireless service.  Yet, despite the prepaid wireless service plans having access to 911 services, the enhanced 911 surcharge is not imposed on these plans.  Your Committee finds that this measure will allow Hawaii to join the other thirty-six states that have adopted legislation establishing fair and equitable charges for funding the 911 emergency system.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

(1)  Changing the prepaid wireless E911 surcharge to an unspecified amount; and

 

(2)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 3103, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3103, S.D. 2.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

 

 

 

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair