STAND. COM. REP. NO. 366

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 295

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Energy and Environment, to which was referred S.B. No. 295 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to:

(1)  Allow hybrid vehicles and energy-efficient vehicles to use high occupancy vehicle lanes; and

(2)  Define "energy-efficient vehicle" and "hybrid vehicle" for purposes of the traffic code.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Transportation; Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc. and its subsidiary utilities; and Sierra Club Hawai‘i Chapter.  Written testimony presented to the Committee may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

     Your Committee finds that this measure would promote the increased use of fuel efficient hybrid vehicles.  Increased consumer acceptance of energy-efficient vehicles, including hybrid vehicles, will aid in the reduction of greenhouse emissions and fossil fuel use.  This measure also furthers the Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative's goal of seventy per cent clean, renewable energy by 2030.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Energy and Environment that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 295 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Transportation, International and Intergovernmental Affairs.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Energy and Environment,

____________________________

MIKE GABBARD, Chair