STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2419

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2611

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Economic Development, Tourism, and Technology, to which was referred S.B. No. 2611 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to provide the Public Utilities Commission with explicit authority to regulate internet service providers.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Education. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Division of Consumer Advocacy and Public Utilities Commission.

Your Committee finds that on December 14, 2017, the Federal Communications Commission repealed title II utility regulation of broadband internet service, also known as "net neutrality". The repeal of "net neutrality" made citizens question the freedom and equality of online content, as internet service providers are now no longer required to treat all content equally. Your Committee believes that providing the Public Utilities Commission with the explicit authority to regulate internet service providers will encourage the equal treatment of content, without preference given to some content over others, preserving the independence of online content from interference or influence of internet service providers or others.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Economic Development, Tourism, and Technology that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2611 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Economic Development, Tourism, and Technology,

________________________________

GLENN WAKAI, Chair