STAND. COM. REP. NO. 722

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2021

RE: H.B. No. 1191

H.D. 2

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 1191, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO BROADBAND SERVICE INFRASTRUCTURE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to facilitate the deployment of last-mile broadband infrastructure in unserved areas of the State by:

(1) Establishing the Broadband Infrastructure Grant Program to award grants to applicants to extend deployment of infrastructure used to provide broadband service to unserved areas of the State;

(2) Amending the Hawaii Technology Loan Revolving Fund to change it to the Hawaii Broadband Infrastructure Fund, including the types of funds deposited into the Hawaii Broadband Infrastructure Fund; and

(3) Authorizing the issuance of general obligation bonds for the Broadband Infrastructure Grant Program.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Primary Care Association, Maui Chamber of Commerce, Charter Communication, and AlohaCare. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; Department of Budget and Finance; Department of Transportation; Office of Community Services of the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations; Office of Information Practices; Hawaii Technology Development Corporation; and Hawaiian Telcom.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1191, H.D. 2, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair