STAND. COM. REP. NO.  410

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2011

RE:   H.B. No. 1016

      H.D. 2

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection, to which was referred H.B. No. 1016, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION ENERGY INITIATIVES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to increase Hawaii's energy efficiency and reduce our dependence on fossil fuels by, among other things:

     (1)  Authorizing the Department of Transportation (DOT) to adopt rules for the registration of, and issuance of license plates for, electric vehicles;

     (2)  Exempting electric vehicles with electric vehicle license plates from parking fees charged by governmental entities, including fees charged by parking meters, except when the vehicle is parked at a charging station;

     (3)  Extending the time period by which parking facilities must designate one percent of their public parking spaces for the exclusive use of electric vehicles from December 31, 2011, to July 1, 2012;

     (4)  Establishing a definition of an "electric vehicle charging system"; and

     (5)  Postponing from January 1, 2012, to January 1, 2013, the date upon which persons who park in a stall reserved for an electric vehicle will begin to receive warnings.

     The Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc.; Maui Electric Company, Ltd.; Hawaii Electric Light Company, Inc.; Better Place Hawaii; Sierra Club-Hawaii Chapter; Blue Planet Foundation; and several concerned individuals testified in support of this bill.  The Department of Accounting and General Services; General Motors, LLC; and a concerned individual provided comments.

     As one of the most fossil fuel dependent states in the nation, Hawaii is currently working to meet clean and renewable energy goals in the very near future.  One way of achieving this goal is to increase consumer acceptance of electric vehicles.  Electric vehicles produce less greenhouse gas emissions than comparable gas powered vehicles and their use will reduce fossil fuel consumption.  Benefits such as free parking for these types of vehicles will help to increase their use and acceptance.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

     (1)  Requiring, rather than authorizing, DOT to adopt rules for the registration of, and issuance of license plates for, electric vehicles;

     (2)  Clarifying that an electric vehicle displaying an electric vehicle license plate is exempt from all parking fees at governmental facilities except when parked at a vehicle charging station;

     (3)  Providing that the exemption from the payment of parking fees in metered parking spaces in government facilities for electric vehicles with electric vehicle license plates shall be limited to a maximum period of two-and-a half hours or the maximum time a meter allows, whichever is longer;

     (4)  Further clarifying the definition of an electric vehicle charging system by specifying that one of the standards the charging system must meet is SAE standard J1772, AC Level 2; and

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

     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. 1016, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1016, H.D. 2.

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

____________________________

HERMINA MORITA, Chair