Hawaii SB707

Testimony IN SUPPORT of SB707 Relating to Cable Television

I support SB707

The bill is intended to, among other things, exempt Maui Countys Akaku Community Television, as well as, the community-based public access television providers serving Oahu (Olelo Community Television) and the other neighbor islands (Na Leo O Hawaii and Hoike Kauai Community Television) from the state procurement process.

These dedicated, community-based non-profit public access organizations have been serving communities throughout the state for over 20-years.

During this period, these valued community assets have generated an enormous amount of social capital, which has been sustained through many years of community-building, untold hours of volunteerism, and effective social networking developed through innovative and effective collaborative efforts with other non-profits, as well as, institutional and non-institutional educational, government and social organizations.

This social capitol developed over the years cannot be arbitrarily valued for the sake of conducting a competitive bid process, as the state would do for a fleet of cars. The law provides for exemptions from the procurement process in which such a process would be either not practicable or advantageous to the state.

Please approve SB707, and provide Akaku and the other public access organizations with a sense of certainty they have earned from decades of dedicated community service. This will allow these community-based organizations to continue, expand and build upon their only missions.to serve their respective communities by providing extended media opportunities , which allow the venue or soapbox for people exercise their first amendment rights and have their voices heard.