STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1020

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 941

H.D. 1

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection, to which was referred H.B. No. 941, H.D. 1, 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 and intent of this measure is to allow the Public Utilities Commission to use electronic filing processes and similar practices.

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 Communications Access Board.

Your Committee finds that existing state law requires parties to provide both hard copies and electronic copies when filing documents with the Public Utilities Commission (Commission). Prior to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, over ninety-five percent of the Commission's docketed filings were on paper and were received either in-person or via mail. Filings to the Commission are often very lengthy, sometimes exceeding ten thousand pages and filling up to ten to fifteen boxes in their hardcopy forms. Certain emergency orders issued by the Governor as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic enabled the Commission to allow for all-electronic filings, which has proven to be successful and saved utility companies considerable time and administrative costs. This measure codifies this modernized practice to enable the Commission to receive one hundred percent of its docketed filings through electronic means to allow the Commission to conduct business safely and more efficiently.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting language requiring the Public Utilities Commission to conform its electronically filed documents and its electronic filing processes to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act and all existing federal laws and regulations to ensure equal access for individuals with disabilities;

(2) Inserting an effective date of January 1, 2022; and

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

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

________________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair