STAND. COM. REP. NO. 974-04

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2004

RE: S.B. No. 2909

S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2004

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Consumer Protection and Commerce, to which was referred S.B. No. 2909, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO APPLICATIONS SEEKING GENERAL RATE INCREASES FILED BY PUBLIC UTILITIES HAVING ANNUAL GROSS REVENUES OF LESS THAN $2,000,000,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to streamline the general rate increase filing process for public utility companies with annual gross revenues of less than $2,000,000, by:

(1) Requiring the filing of a standard form application developed by the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) and a public hearing at which consumers may testify on the proposed rate increase;

(2) Establishing time periods for decisions on general rate increase applications; and

(3) Requiring public utilities to file annual financial statements in accordance with the standard chart of accounts approved by the PUC.

The PUC, Division of Consumer Advocacy of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, and Kealia Water Company Holdings, LLC, testified in support of this bill.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Consumer Protection and Commerce that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2909, S.D. 1, and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Consumer Protection and Commerce,

 

____________________________

KENNETH T. HIRAKI, Chair