THE SENATE                           S.C.R. NO.            19
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 1999                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                    SENATE  CONCURRENT
                        RESOLUTION

  ENCOURAGING GREATER AVAILABILITY OF CABLE ACCESS AND ADVANCED
    TELECOMMUNICATIONS INFRASTRUCTURE IN REMOTE RURAL AREAS. 


 1        WHEREAS, the cable television industry states that its
 2   services are now available to ninety-nine percent of American
 3   households; and
 4   
 5        WHEREAS, basic telephone and telecommunications services
 6   are available to a similar percentage of the population; and
 7   
 8        WHEREAS, while cable television and even telephone
 9   services were at one time regarded as luxury items, they are
10   increasingly essential to the quality of life; and
11   
12        WHEREAS, many distance learning and interactive
13   educational options are conducted on broadcast
14   telecommunications and cable access channels that are not
15   accessible to some remote rural areas; and
16   
17        WHEREAS, many technological options are available that may
18   have application in Hawaii's remote rural areas; and
19   
20        WHEREAS, progress has been made in recent months to
21   develop and implement new technology; and
22   
23        WHEREAS, in 1998, the Legislature passed Senate Concurrent
24   Resolution No. 184, Encouraging the Promotion of Community
25   Media Throughout the State, which supports the Department of
26   Commerce and Consumer Affairs' efforts to develop a statewide
27   organization to promote sharing of community media and further
28   encourages improved communication between all the islands with
29   particular attention to the special needs rural areas; now,
30   therefore;
31   
32        BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twentieth Legislature
33   of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 1999, the House of
34   Representatives concurring, that government and the
35   telecommunications industry are encouraged to continue their
36   efforts to find cost-effective service solutions to provide

 
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                                  S.C.R. NO.            19
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1   cable access and advanced telecommunications infrastructure in
 2   remote rural areas of the State; and
 3   
 4        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this
 5   Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Governor, the
 6   Mayors of each County, and the Chairs of each County Council.
 7 
 8 
 9 
10                         OFFERED BY:  ____________________________