Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Transportation and Government Operations, to which was referred H.B. No. 555 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to make an emergency appropriation of $3,000,000 for electricity payments statewide.

Testimony in support of this measure was received from the Department of Accounting and General Services (DAGS).

This measure is prompted by the steady rise in world oil prices, resulting directly in a budgetary shortfall. Without this measure, the State cannot make timely payments to utility companies, which would result in late payment fees and negatively impact cash flow of these companies.

Your Committee finds that all of the DAGS facilities have been retrofitted with energy-efficient lighting and DAGS has shortened air-conditioning hours, thus helping to minimize the shortfall.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Transportation and Government Operations that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 555, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.