STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1491

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 1041

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Economic Development, Tourism, and Technology, to which was referred H.B. No. 1041 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO REPORTING BY THE DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND TOURISM,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

     (1)  Repeal the ongoing reporting requirement by the Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Task Force to the Legislature regarding updates to its work plan and proposed regulatory scheme; and

     (2)  Direct the University of Hawaii Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation, rather than the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, to appoint the panel to conduct an evaluation of energy systems development special fund projects.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; and University of Hawaii.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual.

     Your Committee finds that the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Task Force was dissolved in 2010; therefore, reporting every five years is no longer practical or useful.  Your Committee further finds that the Hawaii Natural Energy Institute comes under the purview of the University of Hawaii.  Thus, the University of Hawaii would be the proper entity to appoint the panel to conduct the evaluation of the energy systems development special fund projects.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Economic Development, Tourism, and Technology that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1041, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Economic Development, Tourism, and Technology,

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GLENN WAKAI, Chair