STAND. COM. REP. NO.  526-16

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2016

RE:   H.B. No. 2240

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Higher Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 2240 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ENERGY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to create a University of Hawaii Green Special Fund to collect and expend revenues that will harness savings realized from energy efficiency investments and other sources of revenues to reinvest into further measures to reduce energy consumption and operating costs towards achieving the University of Hawaii’s net-zero energy goal.

The University of Hawaii, Associated Students of the University of Hawai‘i, SustainableUH, Hawai‘i Green Growth, Kokūa Hawai‘i Foundation, and some individuals provided testimony in support of this measure.  Department of Budget and Finance provided comments.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Requiring the University of Hawaii to report annually to the Legislature on the monies deposited into the University of Hawaii Green Special Fund;

     (2)  Requiring legislative approval for any fund expenditure equal to or greater than $1,000,000; and

     (3)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2525, to encourage further discussion.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Higher Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2240, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2240, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Higher Education,

____________________________

ISAAC W. CHOY, Chair