HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.C.R. NO.

11

TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2003

  

STATE OF HAWAII

  
   

HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

establishing a joint house-senate task force to review oil reserves in hawaii.

 

 

WHEREAS, the United Nations Security Council (Council) has adopted Resolution 1441 dated November 8, 2002 (Resolution), to reaffirm Iraq's obligation to disarm, to provide for the needs of its people, to account for Gulf War missing, and to return stolen Kuwaiti property; and

WHEREAS, it is still uncertain whether Iraq will fully cooperate with the United Nations' weapon inspectors and fulfil other obligations outlined in the Council's Resolution; and

WHEREAS, if Iraq fails to fully comply with the Council's Resolution, the United States may be faced with a war with Iraq; and

WHEREAS, the Legislature finds that in the event of war or other catastrophe, Hawaii must make sure that it has sufficient oil reserves to meet the energy needs of its people; and

WHEREAS, the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism (DBEDT) has already been given the responsibility to collect, review, and interpret petroleum information with respect to the supply and pricing of petroleum products under the Petroleum Industry Information Reporting Act, chapter 486J, Hawaii Revised Statutes; and

WHEREAS, section 486J-5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, allows DBEDT, with its own staff and other support staff with expertise and experience in or with the petroleum industry, to gather, analyze, and interpret the information submitted to it and other information relating to the supply and price of petroleum products; and

WHEREAS, in addition, DBEDT is already required to publish annually and submit to the Governor and the Legislature 20 days prior to the first day of the current legislative session, a summary, including any analysis and interpretation, of the information submitted to it pursuant to the Petroleum Industry Information Reporting Act; and

WHEREAS, a legislative review of Hawaii's oil reserves would ensure that Hawaii's energy needs are adequately met and that appropriate and responsive legislation may be developed to provide relief to Hawaii's consumers; now therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-second Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2003, the Senate concurring, that:

(1) The Legislature hereby establishes a joint House-Senate task force (Task Force) to review oil reserves in the State;

(2) The Task Force shall be composed of six members of which:

(a) Three members shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives (Speaker) to the Task Force; provided that the Speaker shall select:

(i) The Chair of the House Committee on Energy and Environmental Protection and the Committee;

(ii) The Chair of the House Committee on Economic Development and Business Concerns; and

(iii)One minority member from the House;

(b) Three members shall be appointed by the Senate President (President) to the Task Force; provided that the President shall select:

(i) The Chair of the Senate Committee on Energy and Environment;

(ii) The Chair of the Senate Committee on Economic Development; and

(iii)One minority member from the Senate;

(3) The purpose and the duties of the Task Force and the subject matter and scope of its authority shall be to gather and review publicly available information, studies, and reports, to evaluate and make recommendations regarding the State's oil reserves;

(4) The Task Force may, subject to available funds, employ professional, technical, clerical, or other staff, including experts, as necessary for the proper performance of its duties;

(5) The Task Force is authorized to meet continuously throughout the interim period between the 2003 and 2004 Regular Sessions, and shall thereafter be dissolved unless further extended by the House of Representatives and the Senate; and

(6) The Task Force may continue beyond the period set forth in paragraph (5) for the purpose of monitoring and, if necessary, to propose the amendment or repeal of any legislation enacted as a result of the Task Force's efforts;

and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that DBEDT with its own staff and other support staff and particularly those having expertise and experience in or with the petroleum industry, is requested to gather, analyze, and interpret the information submitted to it under the Petroleum Industry Information Reporting Act and other relevant information relating to the supply of petroleum products, with particular emphasis on motor vehicle fuels pursuant to section 486J-5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, and report this information to the Task Force; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that DBEDT is further requested to work under the direction of the Task Force and provide such technical, staffing, and other assistance to the Task Force as may be necessary, including providing assistance in collecting, reviewing, analyzing, and interpreting documents, testimony, and other evidence obtained by the Task Force, and in coordinating the day-to-day work of the Task Force; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislative Reference Bureau is requested to assist the Task Force in conducting legal and policy analyses, as appropriate, including a review of laws and studies in other jurisdictions, to the extent this work is not conducted by the Attorney General, and in drafting appropriate implementing legislation as requested by the Task Force; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that all other departments, agencies, and offices of the State, as appropriate, are requested to cooperate with and provide assistance to the Task Force; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Task Force shall submit to the Legislature its findings and recommendations, including, to the extent feasible, any proposed legislation, no later than 30 days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2004; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, President of the Senate, the Governor, the Attorney General, the Director of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, and the Acting Director of the Legislative Reference Bureau.

 

 
 

OFFERED BY:

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Report Title:

Creates a House-Senate Task Force to monitor oil reserves in Hawaii.