STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1535

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.B. No. 941

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 2

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 941, H.D. 1, S.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 permit the Public Utilities Commission to use electronic filing processes and require that these processes comply with various federal laws and regulations to ensure equal access for individuals with disabilities.

 

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Division of Consumer Advocacy of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs; Public Utilities Commission; Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc.; and one individual.

 

     Your Committee finds that due to the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, the Public Utilities Commission has temporarily altered its filing processes to, among other things, only require the filing of electronic copies instead of filing both hard copies and electronic copies.  Your Committee also finds that this measure will allow the Public Utilities Commission to modernize its filing practices on a permanent basis.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 941, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 941, H.D. 1, S.D. 2.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

 

 

 

________________________________

DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair