STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2052

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2179

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Energy and Environment, to which was referred S.B. No. 2179 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to prohibit any declaration, bylaws, or binding agreement from preventing a person who owns a unit in a condominium structure of not more than three stories in height from installing a solar energy device.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Solar Energy Association and Blue Planet Foundation.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from two individuals.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism.

     Your Committee finds that clean energy choices are not fairly and equally accessible to those who live in low-rise condominiums.  Homeowners living in condominiums under control of a homeowner's association who are interested in installing a solar energy device may be stalled due to the potential conflict with their homeowner's association.  In order to allow more people to participate in Hawaii's clean energy future, barriers need to be removed and rules set in place to allow Hawaii residents to install clean energy technologies.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Energy and Environment that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2179 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Energy and Environment,

____________________________

MIKE GABBARD, Chair