STAND. COM. REP. NO. 476

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 285

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 285 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate funds for the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Public Utilities Commission, and one individual.

Your Committee finds that this measure provides a legislative vehicle should funding become available for the purposes of this measure prior to the end of the 2019-2021 fiscal biennium. Your Committee notes that according to the testimony from the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, the Department's total base budget is $83,856,490 for fiscal years 2019-2020 and 2020-2021.

Your Committee finds that this measure provides a legislative vehicle should funding become available for the purposes of this measure prior to the end of the 2019-2021 fiscal biennium.

Your Committee has amended this measure by clarifying that the source of funding for the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs is special, rather than general, funds.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 285, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 285, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health,

________________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair