CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 16

Honolulu, Hawaii

                 , 2017

RE:    S.B. No. 376

       S.D. 1

       H.D. 1

       C.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sirs:

     Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 376, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE INTERISLAND TRANSMISSION SYSTEM,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

     The purpose of this measure is to repeal chapter 269, part VIII, Hawaii Revised Statutes, relating to the interisland transmission system.

     Your Committee on Conference finds that in 2012, the Legislature established a regulatory structure under which interisland undersea transmission cables could be developed, financed, and constructed.  However, the current priorities of the Legislature and the electric utility companies do not include an interisland transmission system.  Your Committee on Conference acknowledges that there is an existing regulatory proceeding regarding the issue that is intended to solicit information and evaluate whether an undersea transmission cable may be in the public interest.  Nevertheless, your Committee on Conference finds that it is more appropriate to remove references to the interisland transmission system from state law until an agreement on such a system can be reached.

     Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Making a conforming amendment to remove a reference to cable surcharges from section 23-74, Hawaii Revised Statutes;

     (2)  Making it effective upon its approval; and

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 376, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 376, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

____________________________ CHRIS LEE Co-Chair	____________________________ ROSALYN H. BAKER Chair
____________________________ ROY M. TAKUMI Co-Chair	____________________________ LORRAINE R. INOUYE Co-Chair