STAND. COM. REP. NO. 163-18

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2018

RE: H.B. No. 1995

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Intrastate Commerce, to which was referred H.B. No. 1995 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO BROADBAND INTERNET ACCESS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to protect unfettered access to the internet by the people of Hawaii, despite the December 2017 decision by the United States Federal Communications Commission to overturn its net neutrality rules, by:

(1) Regulating providers of broadband internet access service in Hawaii; and

(2) Establishing a task force to study the establishment of a state-owned public utility company to provide internet service to consumers in Hawaii, including the costs and benefits of doing so.

Americans for Democratic Action and Progressive Democrats of Hawaii supported the measure. The Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism; AT&T; Charter Communications; Computing Technology Industry Association; and Cellular Telecommunications and Internet Association opposed the measure. Hawaiian Telcom submitted comments.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting the requirement that a provider of broadband internet access service in Hawaii must publicly disclose accurate information regarding the network management practices, performance, and commercial terms of its broadband internet access services;

(2) Requiring that the Public Utilities Commission, rather than the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, host the task force;

(3) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

(4) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Intrastate Commerce that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1995, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1995, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Intrastate Commerce,

____________________________

TAKASHI OHNO, Chair