STAND. COM. REP. NO.  547

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2011

RE:   H.B. No. 1455

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Consumer Protection & Commerce and Energy & Environmental Protection, to which was referred H.B. No. 1455 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PETROLEUM PRODUCTS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to allow gasoline dealers to enter into cooperative purchasing agreements, pursuant to rules adopted by the Public Utilities Commission (PUC), to acquire discounts on gasoline purchases.

     Several concerned individuals testified in support of this bill.  The Western States Petroleum Association opposed this measure.  The PUC provided comments.

     Your Committees have amended this bill by:

     (1)  Removing reference to PUC rules in provisions relating to participating in, sponsoring, conducting, or administering cooperative purchasing agreements; and

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

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Consumer Protection & Commerce and Energy & Environmental Protection that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1455, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1455, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Consumer Protection & Commerce and Energy & Environmental Protection,

____________________________ HERMINA MORITA, Chair

____________________________ ROBERT N. HERKES, Chair