STAND. COM. REP. NO.  254-08

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2008

RE:   H.B. No. 2506

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection, to which was referred H.B. No. 2506 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO REORGANIZATION OF STATE AGENCIES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to direct the legislative reference bureau to conduct a study to determine the most effective and efficient options for reorganizing the state agencies responsible for issues relating to energy and environmental protection.

     Specifically, the measure would require preparation of a report that:

     (1)  Identifies the State's overall energy and environmental planning goals;

     (2)  Identifies the current statutorily tasked roles for energy and environmental planning in the State, actual performance of these roles, and the gaps between the two;

     (3)  Identifies overlap between various agencies' responsibilities;

     (4)  Identifies the gap between the State's overall energy and environmental planning goals and the achievement of these goals;

     (5)  Evaluates how other states have successfully reorganized and restructured agencies, including budgetary consequences of replicating those state's structures;

     (6)  Recommends the most effective and efficient options available to reorganize current governmental structure to best achieve the State's energy and environmental protection planning goals; and

     (7)  Suggests possible roles and responsibilities of the newly reorganized agencies.

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by a member of the Hawaii County Council.  Testimony in opposition was submitted by the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, and the Department of Land and Natural Resources.  The Legislative Reference Bureau submitted comments.

     Your Committee has amended this measure to focus the study on reorganization of state agencies as their responsibilities relate to the State's long-term energy strategy.  Specifically, the study would:

     (1)  Identify the statutory responsibilities of state agencies that are integral to successfully achieving state energy objectives;

     (2)  Identify any duplication or deficiency in these state agencies' responsibilities relating to state energy objectives;

     (3)  Research how other states address similar deficiencies in the administration of their energy policies; and

     (4)  Make recommendations regarding how the state agencies can be reorganized to advance the long‑term energy strategy.

     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. 2506, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2506, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Legislative Management.

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

____________________________

HERMINA MORITA, Chair