STAND. COM. REP. NO. 299

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 1424

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Affordable Housing, to which was referred S.B. No. 1424 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING EMERGENCY APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER ADVOCACY,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to make an emergency appropriation of $250,000 to allow the Division of Consumer Advocacy of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs to investigate the power outages that occurred throughout the State following the October 15, 2006, earthquakes.

 

     Your Committee has received testimony in support of this measure from the Public Utilities Commission and the Division of Consumer Advocacy of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs.

 

     Your Committee finds that, following the power outages that occurred on the islands of Oahu, Maui, and Hawaii after the earthquakes of October 15, 2006, an investigation was opened by the Division of Consumer Advocacy to examine whether the electrical utilities that experienced island-wide power outages acted in a reasonable manner prior and subsequent to the outages.  This measure will provide an emergency appropriation to the Division of Consumer Advocacy for the hiring of a consultant to investigate the power outages and will assist the Division of Consumer Advocacy in meeting its mandate to represent consumers' interests.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Affordable Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1424 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

 

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

 

 

 

____________________________

BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair