THE SENATE	S.C.R. NO.	116
THIRTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2021
STATE OF HAWAII

SENATE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

 

REQUESTING PUBLIC UTILITIES TO PROVIDE FIFTY PERCENT RATE DISCOUNTS TO RETIRED SENIOR CITIZENS.

 

 

        WHEREAS, many retired senior citizens aged sixty years and older live on fixed incomes and tight budgets that require them to limit or curtail the purchase of discretionary goods or services; and

 

        WHEREAS, expenses that cannot be easily limited or curtailed are those offered by public utilities that provide electricity, water, gas, telephone, telecommunications, and taxicab services; and

 

        WHEREAS, the gap between the costs of these services and the fixed incomes of retired senior citizens will tend to widen over time, making it increasingly difficult for a retired senior citizen to budget accordingly; and

 

        WHEREAS, proactive measures must be taken so that retired senior citizens can maintain a reasonable quality of life and afford increasing public utility costs; now, therefore,

 

        BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirty-first Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2021, the House of Representatives concurring, that any public utility having a certificate of public convenience and necessity issued by the Public Utilities Commission is requested to provide a fifty percent rate discount to any retired senior citizen residing in the State; and

 

        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Public Utilities Commission is requested to survey actions that have been taken by public utilities or determine what legislation that needs to be enacted, if any, to provide a fifty percent rate discounts to retired senior citizens; and

 

        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Public Utilities Commission is requested to submit a report of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2022; and

 

        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Director of Commerce and Consumer Affairs and Chairperson of the Public Utilities Commission, who in turn is requested to distribute copies of the Concurrent Resolution to all public utilities that currently hold a certificate of public convenience and necessity issued by the Commission.

 

 

 

	OFFERED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title:

PUC; Senior Citizens; Discounts; Report