STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1712

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 1052

H.D. 1

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 1052, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE UNIVERSAL SERVICE PROGRAM,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to clarify that the Public Utilities Commission, under the Universal Service Program, may use moneys from the universal service fund to provide free telecommunications access for persons with print disabilities.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission; Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Division of Consumer Advocacy; Department of Human Services; Hawaii State Council on Developmental Disabilities; National Federation of the Blind of Hawaii; and five individuals.

Your Committee received written comments on this measure from one individual.

Your Committee finds that providing clear legislative authority for the Public Utilities Commission to provide free telecommunications access for persons with print disabilities, and to use the universal service fund for this purpose, will help ensure that persons with print disabilities continue to have access to state and local government information, public notices, emergency alerts, job opportunities, and other time-sensitive information.

Your Committee has amended this measure by specifying that the amount of funds expended for purposes of providing free telephonic access to time-sensitive information for individuals with print disabilities shall not exceed $150,000, as recommended by the Public Utilities Commission.

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. 1052, 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. 1052, 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