STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3106

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 2569

       H.D. 2

       S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Education and Transportation and Energy, to which was referred H.B. No. 2569, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ENERGY,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to accelerate the goals of the Department of Education (Department) to cool Hawaii's schools, reduce energy costs, meet Hawaii's clean energy goals, and provide all students with better classrooms in which to learn by:

     (1)  Requiring the Department to establish a goal of becoming net-zero with respect to energy use by January 1, 2035;

     (2)  Requiring the Department to establish in each county at least one microgrid pilot project at public schools that also serve as emergency shelters;

     (3)  Requiring the Department to expedite the cooling of all public school classrooms to a temperature acceptable for student learning; and

     (4)  Authorizing the issuance of general obligation bonds and the use of funds from the green infrastructure loan program to implement cooling measures in public school classrooms.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Education; Board of Education; Department of Defense; Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; Hawaii State Teachers Association; IMUAlliance; Hawaii Green Infrastructure Authority; and one individual.  Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance and Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc.

     Your Committees find that overheating in school classrooms causes serious health risks to teachers and students.  Air conditioning and other heat abatement measures are necessary in public school classrooms throughout the State not only to minimize health risks, but also to provide an appropriate learning environment.  In order to mitigate the costs of air conditioning and heat abatement, energy efficient lighting and other energy efficiency measures will also be necessary.

     Your Committees further find that, in order to have as many effective heat abatement measures as possible in place before the hottest months, this project must proceed quickly.  Your Committees note that your Committee on Ways and Means has previously considered this issue in S.B. No. 3126, S.D.1., Regular Session of 2016, and subsequently passed that measure with amendments.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by deleting its contents and inserting the contents of S.B. No. 3126, S.D.2, Regular Session of 2016, which:

     (1)  Makes an emergency appropriation for the installation of and equipment for air conditioning, heat abatement, energy efficient lighting, and other energy efficiency measures for schools of the Department of Education; and

     (2)  Authorizes general obligation bond funds to the Department of Education and appropriates the revenue derived therefrom for the installation of and equipment for air conditioning, heat abatement, energy efficient lighting, and other energy efficiency measures.

     Your Committees further amended the measure by making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Education and Transportation and Energy that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2569, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2569, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Education and Transportation and Energy,

________________________________ LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair

________________________________ MICHELLE N. KIDANI, Chair