STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1691

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.R. No. 105

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.R. No. 105 entitled:

"SENATE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION TO MONITOR COMPLIANCE WITH THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION MANDATES FOR THE DEPLOYMENT OF BACKUP POWER GENERATORS FOR WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS PROVIDERS AND COLLECT AND PUBLISH DATA ON CELLULAR TOWER BACKUP CAPACITY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the Public Utilities Commission to monitor compliance with the Federal Communications Commission mandates for the deployment of backup power generators for wireless communications providers and collect and publish data on cellular tower backup capacity.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the O‘ahu County Democrats Committee on Legislative Priorities and one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Public Utilities Commission.

Your Committee finds that Hawaii's rural communities are increasingly reliant on wireless voice communications via cellphone carriers. As a result, it is necessary for wireless communications carriers to provide resilient backup for their transmission equipment so that reliable communication is available when there are utility power outages. Your Committee further finds that increased data transparency would be helpful for the public to make informed decisions when choosing a wireless communications provider. Collecting and publishing data and statistics on backup power capacity for wireless cellular towers may also provide greater assurances to the public regarding the reliability of a particular wireless communications provider's network. This measure requests the Public Utilities Commission to monitor compliance for backup power generators for wireless communications providers and collect and publish data on cellular tower backup capacity which will ensure certain federal mandates are met and promote transparency.

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 concurs with the intent and purpose of S.R. No. 105 and recommends its adoption.

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

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ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair