STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3812

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.C.R. No. 25

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Labor, Culture and the Arts, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 25 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING OCTOBER 3 THROUGH OCTOBER 7, 2022, AS DIGITAL INCLUSION WEEK IN THE STATE OF HAWAII,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to recognize October 3 through October 7, 2022, as Digital Inclusion Week in the State of Hawaii.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism and Broadband Hui.

Your Committee finds that the disruptions caused by the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic shifted the means by which people perform work and receive education and essential services from in-person to online, thereby emphasizing the importance of having reliable, affordable internet connectivity. Your Committee further finds that many rural, agricultural, and lower-income communities in the State lack access to reliable and affordable broadband due to the lack of infrastructure; discrimination in investment in delivering technology and technology-related services to specific areas or populations; or barriers derived from socioeconomic status, education, literacy, language, or disabilities. This measure recognizes October 3 through October 7, 2022, as Digital Inclusion Week in the State to raise awareness of the need for digital equity and to promote digital inclusion.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Including the Strategic Broadband Coordinator of the Hawaii Broadband and Digital Equity Office as an additional recipient of its certified copies; and

(2) 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 Labor, Culture and the Arts that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 25, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 25, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Labor, Culture and the Arts,

________________________________

BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair