STAND. COM. REP. NO. 440-04

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2004

RE: H.B. No. 2969

H.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2004

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Energy and Environmental Protection, to which was referred H.B. No. 2969 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SOLAR ENERGY DEVICES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to allow the installation of solar energy devices on any single-family residential dwelling or townhouse owned by an individual with limited restrictions.

The PowerLight Corporation, Hawaii PV Coalition, Hawaii Solar Energy Association, and Sierra Club-Hawaii Chapter testified in support of this bill. The Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism testified in support of the intent of this bill. The Community Associations Institute-Hawaii Chapter and Hawaii Council of Associations of Apartment Owners testified in opposition to this bill.

Your Committee finds that solar energy is a viable source of alternative energy, especially in Hawaii. By easing restrictions on the installation of solar panels, especially on townhouses, the use of solar energy will be more readily available and dependence on fossil fuels will be decreased.

 

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Clarifying the purpose of this bill by inserting a purpose section;

(2) Providing an exception for the installation of solar panels to restrictions on work performed on apartments;

(3) Requiring that private entities rather than single family residential dwelling and townhouse associations adopt rules and regulations that provide for the placement of solar energy devices;

(4) Amending the definition of "Private entity" to mean any association of homeowners, community association, condominium association, cooperative, or any other non-governmental entity to which a homeowner is subject to compliance with covenants, by-laws, and administrative provisions of that private entity; and

(5) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Energy and Environmental Protection that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2969, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2969, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Consumer Protection and Commerce.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Energy and Environmental Protection,

 

____________________________

HERMINA M. MORITA, Chair