Bill Text: HI HB1475 | 2010 | Regular Session | Amended

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Bill Title: Public Utilities Commission; Proceedings; Public Notification; Intervention; Website

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 16-4)

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2009-05-11 - Carried over to 2010 Regular Session. [HB1475 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2010-HB1475-Amended.html

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STAND. COM. REP. NO.  628

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2009

 

RE:   H.B. No. 1475

 

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committees on Consumer Protection & Commerce and Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 1475 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this bill is to improve government transparency by requiring the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to post notifications of regulatory proceedings on its web site. 

 

     This bill also amends the deadline for filing motions to intervene or participate in certain PUC proceedings to a time frame after notice of initiation of the proceeding is posted on PUC's web site.

 

     Life of the Land testified in support of this bill.  The Hawaii Energy Policy Forum supported the intent of this measure.  PUC and the Consumer Advocate provided comments.

 

     This bill attempts to improve the means by which PUC notifies the general public of the initiation of regulatory proceedings so that interested stakeholders are afforded a reasonable opportunity to intervene and participate in matters that affect them.  While PUC has stated it is finalizing an online Docket Management System that would meet the requirements of this bill, your Committees are moving this bill along for further discussion and to maximize the available options for improving public notice in this area.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Consumer Protection & Commerce and Judiciary that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1475 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Consumer Protection & Commerce and Judiciary,

 

 

____________________________ JON RIKI KARAMATSU, Chair		____________________________ ROBERT N. HERKES, Chair