CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 153-08

Honolulu, Hawaii

                 , 2008

RE:    S.B. No. 988

       S.D. 2

       H.D. 3

       C.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Madam and Sir:

     Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 988, S.D. 2, H.D. 3, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PHOTOVOLTAIC ENERGY,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

     The purpose of this measure is to authorize the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to establish a ratepayer-funded photovoltaic rebate program upon evaluating the costs and benefits of a rebate program and determining that a rebate program is in the public interest.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Authorizing the PUC to delegate the administration of the photovoltaic rebate program to the public benefits fund administrator established pursuant to section 269-122, Hawaii Revised Statutes; and

     (2)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2008.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 988, S.D. 2, H.D. 3, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 988, S.D. 2, H.D. 3, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

____________________________ HERMINA MORITA, Co-Chair	____________________________ RON MENOR, Chair
____________________________ ROBERT N. HERKES, Co-Chair	____________________________ RUSSELL S. KOKUBUN, Co-Chair
____________________________ MELE CARROLL, Co-Chair	____________________________ ROSALYN H. BAKER, Co-Chair