STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3732

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.R. No. 36

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 Government Operations, to which was referred S.R. No. 36 entitled:

"SENATE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE HAWAII BROADBAND AND DIGITAL EQUITY OFFICE TO CONDUCT A DATA MAPPING STUDY TO IDENTIFY GEOGRAPHICALLY UNDERSERVED AND UNSERVED AREAS IN THE STATE THAT LACK QUALITY BROADBAND CONNECTIVITY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the Hawaii Broadband and Digital Equity Office to conduct a data mapping study to identify geographically underserved and unserved areas in the State that lack quality broadband connectivity, and report the results of the study to the Legislature.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, and State Executive Office on Aging. Your Committee received comments on this measure from Charter Communications and Hawaiian Telcom.

Your Committee finds that residents across the State, particularly in rural areas, have historically experienced disruption in broadband internet service, dropped calls, and dead areas. Your Committee further finds that the State has the responsibility to provide equitable access to broadband internet and service for residents as opportunities continue to arise in the areas of teleworking, distance learning, and telehealth. Accordingly, this measure promotes broadband equity by requesting the Hawaii Broadband and Digital Equity Office to gather the data necessary to identify areas that lack quality access to broadband internet service.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Defining the terms "underserved" and "unserved" by reference to certain federal law;

(2) Clarifying the nature and scope of the action requested of the Hawaii Broadband and Digital Equity Office;

(3) Deleting the request to expend funds from the budget of the Hawaii Tourism Authority;

(4) Adding the heads of Charter Communications and Hawaiian Telcom as recipients of this measure; and

(5) 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 Government Operations that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.R. No. 36, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.R. No. 36, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Government Operations,

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SHARON MORIWAKI, Chair