STAND. COM. REP. NO.  3

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2015

RE:   H.B. No. 927

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection, to which was referred H.B. No. 927 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ON-BILL PROGRAMS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to ensure that electric utilities serving as billing and collections agents in a purely "pass-through" capacity for any on-bill financing or repayment program are exempt from various state or county taxes and state laws regulating financial institutions, escrow depositories, and collection agencies.

The Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; Department of Taxation; Public Utilities Commission; Hawaiian Electric Company; Hawaii Electric Light Company; Maui Electric Company; Blue Planet Foundation; and Hawaii Solar Energy Association supported this bill.  The Tax Foundation of Hawaii submitted comments.

     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. 927 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection,

____________________________

CHRIS LEE, Chair