STAND. COM. REP. NO.  293

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2009

 

RE:   H.B. No. 1060

 

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce, to which was referred H.B. No. 1060 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLICATION OF HEARING NOTICES,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this bill is to improve government efficiency by providing that Public Utilities Commission (PUC) hearing notices regarding proposed changes in public utility rates need only be published in the counties served by the utility rather than statewide.

 

     PUC and the Consumer Advocate testified in support of this bill.

 

     Under section 269-16(b), Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS), contested case hearings held in connection with any increase in utility rates must be preceded by a public hearing.  Section 269-12(c), HRS, requires PUC to provide statewide notices of these hearings, even if the subject public utility and affected customers are located in one county.  By restricting the notice requirement to only the counties affected by the public utility's proposal, this measure will lower PUC's publication costs by as much as 50 percent per fiscal year while still ensuring that notice is provided to those affected by the proposed activity.


 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1060 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

ROBERT N. HERKES, Chair