STAND. COM. REP. NO. 476
Honolulu, Hawaii
, 2005
RE: H.B. No. 863
H.D. 1
Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twenty-Third State Legislature
Regular Session of 2005
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committees on Consumer Protection & Commerce and Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 863, H.D. 1, entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE PETROLEUM INDUSTRY,"
beg leave to report as follows:
The purpose of this bill is to:
(1) Make changes in the type and extent of information members of the petroleum industry submit to the State pursuant to chapter 486J, Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS); and
(2) Allow full implementation of the gasoline price control program established by chapter 486H, HRS.
This bill among other things, mandates:
(1) Informational costs reporting by refiners and distributors, including statements of operating and overhead costs;
(2) The development of an automated petroleum information reporting system to disseminate the information provided under the reports, to increase market transparency and facilitate agency oversight;
(3) The establishment of a Petroleum Industry Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Special Fund (Special Fund) funded by appropriations from the Environmental Response Revolving Fund (Revolving Fund) to be used, among other things, to administer the information reporting program; and
(4) Appropriations from the Revolving Fund to the Special Fund and from the Special Fund to implement the petroleum price control program, the petroleum industry monitoring, analysis, and reporting program, and to support the Hawaii Energy Policy Forum in its efforts to create a single, integrated energy strategy for the State.
The Hawaii Energy Policy Forum submitted testimony in support of this measure. The Hawaii Solar Energy Association supported the measure in part. The Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism submitted testimony in support of intent. The Western States Petroleum Association and University of Hawaii Environmental Center submitted comments.
Your Committees find that this measure improves the State's ability to conduct systematic analyses related to the State's energy systems, markets, and policies. The establishment and allocation of adequate resources for a monitoring system to oversee the petroleum industry and gasoline market is a prerequisite to fully implementing the regulation of gasoline pricing.
As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Consumer Protection & Commerce and Judiciary that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 863, H.D. 1, and recommend that it be referred to the Committee on Finance.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Consumer Protection & Commerce and Judiciary,
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____________________________ SYLVIA LUKE, Chair |
____________________________ KENNETH HIRAKI, Chair |
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