STAND. COM. REP. NO.  572

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2009

RE:   H.B. No. 1446

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection, to which was referred H.B. No. 1446 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO RENEWABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to encourage resident taxpayers who are at least 60 years old to use renewable energy by making the nonrefundable Renewable Energy Technology System Tax Credit (Tax Credit) a refundable tax credit for those qualifying taxpayers.

     The Blue Planet Foundation and a concerned individual testified in support of this bill.  The Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism supported the intent of this measure.  The Department of Taxation provided comments. 

     Upon careful consideration, your Committee has amended this measure by replacing its contents with part III of House Bill No. 1053.  Specifically, this bill was amended by:

(1)  Consolidating the tax credits for photovoltaic energy systems and solar thermal energy systems with all other solar energy systems into a solar energy systems tax credit;

(2)  Providing a refundable tax credit option for taxpayers with qualifying solar energy systems that heat water for household use, if after reducing the Tax Credit amount by 30 percent, the taxpayer's Tax Credit exceeds the amount of income tax due;

(3)  Providing the option of claiming a refundable tax credit to taxpayers whose total income is tax exempt pension income and not more than $20,000 or $40,000 if married and filing jointly;

(4)  Prohibiting the claiming of the Tax Credit for solar water heaters installed pursuant to the Act 204, Session Laws of Hawaii 2008, requiring solar water heaters in new single-family dwellings after December 31, 2009;

(5)  Making the section apply to eligible renewable energy technology systems that are installed and placed in service on or after January 1, 2010; and

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

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1446, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1446, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection,

____________________________

HERMINA MORITA, Chair