STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1605

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2019

 

RE:   S.B. No. 553

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 2

 

 

 

 

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce, to which was referred S.B. No. 553, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO BROADBAND SERVICE INFRASTRUCTURE,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to establish the Broadband Service Infrastructure Grant Program to award grants to applicants to extend deployment of facilities used to provide broadband service to unserved and underserved areas of the State.

 

     The Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism, Charter Communications, Hawaiian Telcom, Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc., Maui Electric Company, Ltd., and Hawaii Electric Light Company, Inc. offered comments.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by clarifying that an applicant for a grant may not provide a minimum matching amount from federal or state government grants, loans, or subsidies when committing to pay a percentage of the project costs out of the applicant's own funds.

 

     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 S.B. No. 553, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 553, S.D. 2, H.D. 2.

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

ROY M. TAKUMI, Chair