Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection, to which was referred H.B. No. 1941 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to require the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to apply a progressive block rate structure for residential consumers that charges a higher rate to consumers with a monthly consumption of over 500 kilowatt hours (kWh) than to consumers with a monthly consumption of 500 kWh or less starting no later than December 31, 2007.

The Conservation Council for Hawai'i testified in support of this bill. The PUC supported the intent of this bill, offering comments and concerns. The Consumer Advocate, Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc., Maui Electric Company, Ltd., and Hawaii Electric Light Company, Inc., commented on this measure.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1941, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1941, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.