STAND. COM. REP. NO. 241

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 1295

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committees on Government Operations, Economic Development and Technology, and Energy and Environment, to which was referred S.B. No. 1295 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE NATURAL ENERGY LABORATORY OF HAWAII AUTHORITY,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

     (1)  Encourage efficiency by authorizing the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority and Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to enter into inter-agency agreements for the purposes of coordinating resources, eliminating unnecessary duplication, and effectuating the purposes of chapters 201 and 227D, Hawaii Revised Statutes; and

     (2)  Incentivize the research, development, and commercialization of renewable energy technology in Hawaii by allowing these business activities to qualify a business for incentives under the state enterprise zones program.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism and Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority.

     Your Committees find that it is important to promote efficiency in government.  Providing state agencies with a framework for coordinating resources and eliminating waste is an important step toward saving money that can be more productively used elsewhere.

     Your Committees further find that research, development, and commercialization of renewable energy technology in Hawaii should be incentivized.  Renewable energy technology is important for Hawaii's economy as it generates demand for jobs in science and engineering and promises to produce clean energy that will help Hawaii gain greater independence from oil for energy production.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Government Operations, Economic Development and Technology, and Energy and Environment that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1295 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committees on Commerce and Consumer Protection and Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Government Operations, Economic Development and Technology, and Energy and Environment,

____________________________ GLENN WAKAI, Chair	____________________________ DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair
	____________________________ MIKE GABBARD, Chair