STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2377

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2479

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Housing and Government Operations, to which was referred S.B. No. 2479 entitled:

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

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to require each public housing project, dwelling unit, and state low-income housing project that is built, renovated, or constructed after January 1, 2023, to include all necessary infrastructure for tenants to access broadband services.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Public Housing Authority; Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; Hawaii State Council on Developmental Disabilities; Hawaiian Telcom; and Common Cause Hawaii.

Your Committees find that broadband access is essential for residents of the State. This fact was especially elucidated by the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Without access to broadband services, many living in public and low-income housing find it difficult to connect with others in an increasingly-digital world. This measure supports residents in public and low-income housing by requiring that future units have the necessary infrastructure to support broadband services.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Housing and Government Operations that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2479 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Housing and Government Operations,

________________________________ SHARON MORIWAKI, Chair

________________________________ STANLEY CHANG, Chair