SB76 SD1

THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	76
TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2007		S.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING TO PUBLIC SCHOOL FACILITIES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. It is the State's duty to provide a proper environment that is conducive to learning for its public school students. However, although Hawaii has a tropical climate, many of its public school facilities are not equipped with air conditioning systems or other suitable temperature reduction plans or methodologies. Hawaii's climate can produce heated classroom environments that are unbearable and that can hinder a child's academic abilities.

The increasing cost of oil and the growing demand for electricity make the promotion of energy efficiency and renewable energy technology an important conservation initiative. Currently, state law requires the State to establish policies designed to increase energy self-sufficiency and energy security, including the use of renewable energy resources. Hawaii is blessed with an abundance of renewable energy resources including wind, photovoltaic, hydropower, geothermal energy, ocean thermal energy conversion, and wave energy.

The purpose of this Act is to require the department of education to develop a plan to implement temperature reduction measures in public school facilities within the State, which also incorporates energy conservation initiatives.

SECTION 2. (a) Notwithstanding section 302A-1501, Hawaii Revised Statutes, the department of education shall develop a plan to provide for temperature reduction measures in public school facilities within the State, which incorporates energy conservation initiatives. The plan shall contemplate a budget of $200,000,000 over the next ten years and shall include analyses of and recommendations on the incorporation of some or all of the following:

(1) The utilization of temperature reduction measures, which may include air conditioning, tinted glass for windows, thicker insulation, reflective roofing, trees or other vegetation for shade, and wooden versus glass or aluminum louvers;

(2) The incorporation of energy conservation initiatives throughout public school facilities;

(3) The use of wind, photovoltaic, hydropower, geothermal energy, ocean thermal energy conversion, and wave energy technologies;

(4) The creation of incentives for schools to reduce electrical energy consumption or costs, or both, including returning up to fifty per cent of the savings at each school to the school for its own use;

(5) The development of long-term plans to reduce usage or costs, or both, related to electricity, gas, and water, including the construction of new infrastructures;

(4) The establishment of energy reduction usage or cost goals, or both, for all public school facilities and timelines for attaining those goals; and

(5) Providing for the implementation of energy efficient lights, appliances, or other fixtures in all public school facilities.

(b) The department of education shall contract with a private engineering firm, or any other appropriate entity, to assist in the development of the plan for providing temperature reduction measures in public school facilities, which incorporates energy conservation initiatives and other objectives, as enumerated in subsection (a). The energy, resources, and technology division of the department of business, economic development, and tourism shall provide any necessary assistance to the department of education in the development of the plan.

(c) The department of education shall submit a report on the status of the plan to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the 2008 regular session, and shall submit a final report and the plan to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the 2009 regular session.

SECTION 3. The director of finance is authorized to issue general obligation bonds in the sum of $20,000,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, and the same sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for fiscal years 2007-2008, and 2008‑2009, for the department of education to develop and initiate implementation of a plan to provide temperature reduction measures in public school facilities within the State that incorporates energy conservation initiatives and addresses the objectives enumerated in this Act.

The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of education for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 4. The appropriation made for the capital improvement project authorized by this Act shall not lapse at the end of the fiscal biennium for which the appropriation is made; provided that all moneys from the appropriation unencumbered as of June 30, 2010, shall lapse as of that date.

SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect upon its approval; provided that section 3 shall take effect on July 1, 2007.