STAND. COM. REP. NO. 743

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 16

       S.D. 2

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 16, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ENERGY RESOURCES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to broaden the scope of the solar water heater mandate for new residential construction and to make the approval process more efficient.

     More specifically, this measure:

     (1)  Requires new duplexes, absent a waiver, to include solar water heaters prior to receiving a building permit;

     (2)  Transfers the authority to issue solar water heater variances from the Energy Resources Coordinator to the respective county permitting agencies;

     (3)  Requires each County Council to establish procedures and standards for the issuance of waivers by their respective county permitting agency; and

     (4)  Clarifies solar water heater waiver application procedures.

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; Blue Planet Foundation; two members of the Kauai County Council, and two concerned individuals.

     Your Committee received written comments in opposition to this measure from the Department of Planning and Permitting, City and County of Honolulu; Kauai County Department of Public Works; and HawaiiGas.

Your Committee finds that by allowing the respective counties to issue solar water heater waivers, both the waiver and building permit will be administered by the same agency, resulting in greater efficiency and economies of scale.  In addition, new duplexes should be subject to the solar water heater mandate for the same reasons that the mandate currently applies to single family homes.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Clarifying that the authority to issue waivers shall be transferred to the respective county upon notice to the Governor that necessary ordinances have been adopted by the respective county, to ensure a seamless transition;

     (2)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure; and

     (3)  Making technical nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of style, consistency, and clarity.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 16, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 16, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair