STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2744

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2624

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2624 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HAWAII ENERGY POLICY FORUM,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to appropriate moneys to continue the work of the Hawaii Energy Policy Forum.

     Specifically, this measure appropriates an unspecified amount of funds to the Hawaii Energy Policy Forum to:

     (1)  Implement the detailed action plans to its ten point plan to meet Hawaii's energy goals;

     (2)  Monitor energy-related policies and programs to continually assess and update tangible goals, objectives, desired outcomes, and actions to achieve the energy vision and goals of the Hawaii Energy Policy Forum;

     (3)  Continue to refine and evaluate benchmarks for measuring outcomes of energy implementation strategies;

     (4)  Continue to engage Hawaii's business, government, labor, and community leaders and integrate them into its policy activities and discussions; and

     (5)  Continue to educate the greater community and create public awareness about Hawaii's energy needs.

     This measure also requires the Hawaii Energy Policy Forum to submit a report to the Legislature prior to the 2009 Regular Session.

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, the Division of Consumer Advocacy of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Hawaii Energy Policy Forum, Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc., and the Hawaii Solar Energy Association.  Comments on this measure were submitted by the University of Hawaii at Manoa.

     Your Committee finds that the Hawaii Energy Policy Forum has made considerable progress to date, and this measure would allow the Hawaii Energy Policy Forum to continue its work to develop strategies that will meet Hawaii's energy goals.

     In addition, your Committee considered S.B. No. 2625, S.D. 1 (2007), which also makes an appropriation to continue the work of the Hawaii Energy Policy Forum.  Specifically, this measure appropriates an unspecified amount of funds for the Hawaii Energy Policy Forum to conduct a study on energy-efficient transportation strategies with the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, the Department of Transportation, and members of the energy-efficient transportation strategies working group.  Your Committee further finds that S.B. No. 2625, S.D. 1, would allow for the continued research and development of much-needed energy-efficient transportation alternatives for the State.

     Upon further consideration, your Committee finds that both of these measures aim to achieve similarly beneficial goals, and the appropriations in each bill would allow the Hawaii Energy Policy Forum to continue its work toward a clean, efficient, and sustainable energy future for the State.

     Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Inserting the contents of S.B. No. 2625, S.D. 1; and

     (2)  Making technical nonsubstantive amendments for purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2624, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2624, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair