STAND. COM. REP. NO.  279-14

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2014

RE:   H.B. No. 2312

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection, to which was referred H.B. No. 2312 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSE, ENERGY, AND FOOD SECURITY TAX,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to increase the portion of the barrel tax that is deposited into the Environmental Response Revolving Fund from five cents to fifteen cents to support emergency oil spill response, chemical leakage response, hazardous environmental disaster response, and environmental clean ups.

The Department of Health, Nature Conservancy, and an individual testified in support of this measure.  Tax Foundation of Hawaii commented on this measure.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Changing the amount to be deposited into the Environmental Response Revolving Fund from fifteen cents to an unspecified amount to facilitate further discussion; and

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

     Should your Committee on Finance deliberate on this measure, your Committee respectfully requests that fifteen cents of the tax on each barrel be deposited into the Environmental Response Revolving Fund.

     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. 2312, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2312, 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,

____________________________

CHRIS LEE, Chair