STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2244

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2805

       S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs and Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 2805 entitled:

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

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to impose an E911 surcharge on prepaid wireless telecommunications service.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Accounting and General Services, Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Enhanced 911 Board, Hawaii State Fire Council, Maui County Police Department, Hawaii County Police Department, City and County of Honolulu Police Department, Kauai Fire Department, Oceanic Time Warner, Verizon, and one individual.  Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Hawaii Food Industry Association and Ho‘omana Pono, LLC.

     Your Committees find that the enhanced 911 fund ensures adequate funding to deploy and sustain enhanced 911 services.  Currently, a monthly surcharge of 66 cents is imposed upon each communications service connection except prepaid wireless mobile phone service.  Your Committees find that prepaid mobile phone users benefit from the enhanced 911 system and should participate equally in the support of that system.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs and Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2805, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2805, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs and Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health,

________________________________ ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair

________________________________ CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair