STAND. COM. REP. NO. 297

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2021

RE: H.B. No. 941

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce, to which was referred H.B. No. 941 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE USE OF ELECTRONIC FILING BY THE PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to allow the Public Utilities Commission to use electronic filing processes and similar practices as an alternative to hard copy, rather than requiring both.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Public Utilities Commission, and Hawaiian Electric Company. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Disability and Communication Access Board.

Your Committee finds that certain existing statutory provisions require the Public Utilities Commission to employ hard copy service or filing in addition to electronic filing. This resulted in over ninety-five percent of the Commission's docketed filings being on paper and submitted in-person or via mail. However, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the Governor's emergency orders, the Commission implemented a temporary all‑electronic filing system to ensure services were still being offered to the public and stakeholders while protecting the health and safety of all persons. Your Committee recognizes that this process has been successful, and this measure will authorize the continuation of this practice beyond the COVID-19 state of emergency.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Removing language that allowed administrative rules to supersede the statutory provisions authorizing electronic filing as an alternative method of submitting documents;

(2) Changing the effective date to January 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

(3) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 941, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 941, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

AARON LING JOHANSON, Chair