STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2922

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.B. No. 2267

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2012

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Economic Development and Technology, to which was referred H.B. No. 2267, H.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE ISSUANCE OF SPECIAL PURPOSE REVENUE BONDS TO ASSIST CLEARCOM, INC., IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF BROADBAND INFRASTRUCTURE IN HAWAII,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to authorize the issuance of special purpose revenue bonds not to exceed $100,000,000 to assist Clearcom, Inc., or a partnership headed by Clearcom, Inc., with planning, permitting, designing, constructing, equipping, and operating broadband infrastructure at locations throughout the State.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; High Technology Development Corporation; Clearcom, Inc.; ControlPoint Surveying, Inc.; Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement; Kalawahine Streamside Association; Papakolea Community Development Corporation; and Referentia Systems, Inc.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from Hawaiian Telcom and Oceanic Time Warner Cable.

 

     Your Committee supports the overall objective of improving Hawaii's broadband infrastructure.  However, the lack of specificity in this measure regarding the locations for such infrastructure, and whether these locations are in underserved areas, makes it difficult to assess the benefits to Hawaii residents.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure accordingly, by inserting an effective date of July 1, 2050, to allow for further discussion.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Economic Development and Technology that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2267, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2267, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

 

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

 

 

 

____________________________

CAROL FUKUNAGA, Chair