Bill > SR66

This resolution requests the State Auditor to conduct a comprehensive financial audit of the Hawaii State Institutional Networks (I-NETs) across all Hawaiian islands to determine their actual maintenance costs. The resolution is prompted by recent developments where the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs allowed cable operators to charge marginal maintenance costs for used network portions, despite originally being contractually obligated to build these networks at no cost to subscribers or the state. The resolution references Federal Communications Commission Order 621, which prohibits cable operators from reducing franchise fees to build or support network operational costs, and emphasizes that franchise fees should exclusively fund existing network maintenance. Motivated by a desire to increase transparency and verify claims by information technology experts that network maintenance costs are minimal, the resolution asks the Auditor to submit a detailed report with findings and potential legislative recommendations no later than twenty days before the 2026 Regular Session. The ultimate goal is to provide a clear, independent assessment of the actual expenses associated with maintaining these institutional networks across Hawaii.

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https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=SR&billnumber=66&year=2025