STAND. COM. REP. NO.  893-08

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2008

RE:   H.B. No. 2507

      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 Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 2507 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS REDUCTION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to assist the work of the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Task Force (Task Force) in its efforts to help reduce by January 1, 2020, greenhouse gas emissions in Hawaii to levels at or below the estimates of greenhouse gas emissions for 1990 by appropriating $135,000 for fiscal year 2008-2009 for a Task Force Program Manager and a Task Force Project Assistant/Researcher.

     The Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc., Hawaii Electric Light Company, Inc., Maui Electric Company, Ltd., and Sierra Club – Hawaii Chapter testified in support of this bill.  Life of the Land commented on this measure.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

     (1)  Changing the appropriation for the temporary establishment of the Task Force Program Manager and a Task Force Project Assistant/Researcher positions from $135,000 to an unspecified amount;

     (2)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2020, to encourage further discussion; and

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2507, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2507, H.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

____________________________

MARCUS R. OSHIRO, Chair