THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

2927

TWENTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE, 2010

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION ENERGY INITIATIVES.

 

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 

     SECTION 1.  Green vehicles, or G-vehicles, include electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles that achieve thirty-five miles per gallon or higher city rating by the United States Environmental Protection Agency.  G-vehicles are a part of the 21st Century Ahupua'a Initiative Plan to encourage energy conservation.  The ecological and environmental benefits of G-vehicles include:

     (1)  Conserving energy;

     (2)  Reducing the amount of fuel emissions in the environment; and

     (3)  Decreasing the city and county of Honolulu's dependence on fossil fuels.

     The purpose of this Act is to encourage the residents of Hawaii to drive motor vehicles designated as G-vehicles.

     SECTION 2.  Section 291-71, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

     "[[]§291-71[]]  Designation of parking spaces for [electric] green vehicles[;] (G-vehicles); charging units[.] for electric vehicles.   (a) All public, private, and government parking facilities that are available for use by the general public and have at least one hundred parking spaces shall designate one per cent of parking spaces exclusively for [electric vehicles] G-vehicles by December 31, 2011, provided that at least one of the parking spaces designated for [electric vehicles] G-vehicles is located near the building entrance and is equipped with an electric vehicle charging unit.  Spaces shall be designated, clearly marked, and the exclusive designation enforced.  The electric vehicle charging units shall meet recognized standards, including SAE J1772 of the Society of Automotive Engineers.  Owners of multiple parking lots within the State may designate and electrify fewer parking spaces than required in one or more of their owned properties as long as the scheduled requirement is met for the total number of aggregate spaces on all of their owned properties.

     When the number of registered [electric vehicles] G-vehicles in the State reaches five thousand, the spaces designated for [electric vehicles] G-vehicles shall increase to two per cent of parking spaces.  The number of spaces designated for [electric vehicles] G-vehicles shall continue to increase by one per cent for each additional five thousand [electric vehicles] G-vehicles registered in the State until the percentage reaches ten per cent of parking spaces.

     (b)  [For the purposes of] As used in this section[,] and section 291-72: ["electric vehicle" means an electric vehicle or neighborhood electric vehicle with an electric vehicle license plate.]

     "Green vehicle" or "G-vehicle"  means a vehicle that is an electric or hybrid vehicle and includes neighborhood or plug-in electric drive vehicles.

     "Hybrid vehicle" means a motor vehicle that:

     (1)  Draws propulsion energy from on-board sources of stored energy, including both an internal combustion or heat engine using consumable fuel and a rechargeable energy storage system; and

     (2)  Receives a thirty-five mile per gallon, or higher, city rating from the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

     "Medium-duty electric vehicle" or "heavy-duty electric vehicle" means an electric, hybrid electric, or plug-in hybrid electric vehicle with a gross vehicle weight of more than 8,501 pounds.

     "Neighborhood electric vehicle" means a four-wheeled on-road or non-road vehicle that:

     (1)  Has a top attainable speed in one mile of more than twenty miles per hour and not more than twenty-five miles per hour on a paved level surface; and

     (2)  Is propelled by an electric motor and an on-board, rechargeable energy storage system that is rechargeable using an off-board source of electricity.

     "Plug-in electric drive vehicle" means a vehicle that:

     (1)  Draws motive power from a battery with a capacity of at least four kilowatt-hours;

     (2)  Can be recharged from an external source of electricity for motive power; and

     (3)  Is a light-, medium-, or heavy-duty mot or vehicle or non-road vehicle."

     SECTION 3.  Section 291-72, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

     "[[]§291-72[]]  Parking spaces reserved for [electric] green vehicles[;] (G-vehicles); penalties.  (a)  Beginning January 1, 2012, any person who parks a [non-electric vehicle] non-G-vehicle in a space designated and marked as reserved for [electric vehicles] G-vehicles shall receive a warning.

     (b)  Beginning July 1, 2013, any person who parks a [non-electric vehicle] non-G-vehicle in a space designated and marked as reserved for [electric vehicles] G-vehicles shall be guilty of a traffic infraction under chapter 291D [and], shall be fined not less than $50 nor more than $100, and shall pay any costs incurred by the court related to assessing the fine.

     (c)  Any citation issued under this section may be mailed to the violator pursuant to section 291C-165(b)."

     SECTION 4.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 5.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

 

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

 

         BY REQUEST

 

 

Report Title:

Transportation; Green Vehicles

 

Description:

Changes "electric vehicle" reference to "G-vehicles or "green vehicles" in laws requiring facilities to designate parking spaces for green vehicles, and establishing penalties for misuse of green vehicle parking.

 

 

 

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.