STAND. COM. REP. NO. 329

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: H.B. No. 934

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Economic Development & Technology, to which was referred H.B. No. 934 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HAWAII BROADBAND AND DIGITAL EQUITY OFFICE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Transfer the Hawaii Broadband and Digital Equity Office from the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to the Office of Enterprise Technology Services in the Department of Accounting and General Services; and

(2) Establish the Broadband and Digital Equity Special Fund.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of the Lieutenant Governor; Hawaiʻi State Council on Developmental Disabilities; University of Hawaiʻi System; and one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; Department of Budget and Finance; Office of Enterprise Technology Services; and Charter Communications.

Your Committee finds that reliable, affordable high speed internet access is essential for ensuring greater educational, economic, and social opportunities for all. This measure addresses this need by transferring the Hawaii Broadband and Digital Equity Office to the Office of Enterprise Technology Services to consolidate and centralize broadband responsibilities currently dispersed across state agencies and establishing the Broadband and Digital Equity Special Fund.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Excluding the deployment of broadband infrastructure for the provision of retail service from the authorized uses of the Broadband and Digital Equity Special Fund;

(2) Changing the appropriations to unspecified amounts;

(3) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

(4) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

Your Committee respectfully requests your Committee on Finance, should it deliberate on this measure, to consider the appropriation amount of $200,000 to be deposited into and appropriated out of the Broadband and Digital Equity Special Fund.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Economic Development & Technology that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 934, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 934, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Economic Development & Technology,

____________________________

GREGGOR ILAGAN, Chair