STAND. COM. REP. NO. 450

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 834

       S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Economic Development, Tourism, and Technology and Government Operations, to which was referred S.B. No. 834 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO VIDEOCONFERENCING,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

     (1)  Require that both chambers of the Legislature adopt rules to establish procedures to permit residents to present testimony through audiovisual technology; and

     (2)  Appropriate funds to establish such audiovisual technology throughout the State.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health, Hawaii Government Employees Association, Common Cause Hawaii, Pele Lani Farm LLC, Life of the Land, Ulupono Initiative, Progressive Democrats of Hawaii, and thirty-five individuals.  Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Disability and Communication Access Board and two individuals.

     Your Committees find that it is often a severe financial and geographic hardship for neighbor island residents to actively participate in the legislative process.  Your Committees further find that this measure is a necessary first step toward using remote testimony technology to allow more residents of the State to participate and have their voices heard.

     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 Economic Development, Tourism, and Technology and Government Operations that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 834, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 834, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Economic Development, Tourism, and Technology and Government Operations,

________________________________ DONNA MERCADO KIM, Chair

________________________________ GLENN WAKAI, Chair