STAND. COM. REP. NO.  43

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2017

RE:   H.B. No. 1566

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection, to which was referred H.B. No. 1566 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish consistency in the review of utility mergers by:

     (1)  Establishing substantial net benefit as the Public Utilities Commission's standard of review for a transfer or assignment of an electric utility; and

     (2)  Specifying certain guidelines to address when examining whether a substantial net benefit exists in the transfer or assignment of an electric utility.

The Division of Consumer Advocacy of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Life of the Land, Hawaii Solar Energy Association, Sierra Club of Hawaii, and several individuals supported this measure.  The Public Utilities Commission and Alliance for Solar Choice provided comments.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the effective date to January 28, 2081, to encourage further discussion.

     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. 1566, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1566, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

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

____________________________

CHRIS LEE, Chair