STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1249

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 811

       H.D. 2

       S.D. 1

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection, to which was referred H.B. No. 811, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ENERGY INFORMATION REPORTING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

     (1)  Improve the ease and efficiency of Energy Industry Information Reporting Act processes for reporting entities by combining all information and registration gathering functions within the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; and

     (2)  Clarify the enforcement and investigatory powers of the Public Utilities Commission following the consolidation of information gathering and registration functions within the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism and Public Utilities Commission.

     Your Committee finds that the Public Utilities Commission presently administers the registration and information gathering requirements of the Energy Industry Information Reporting Act, codified as chapter 486J, Hawaii Revised Statutes.  The Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism also performs similar energy industry information gathering functions under other statutes and has a well-established database system.  This measure simplifies the registration and reporting processes for fuel distributors by merging the registration and reporting requirements of chapter 486J, Hawaii Revised Statutes, within existing reporting processes under the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 811, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection,

____________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair