STAND. COM. REP. NO.  221

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2017

RE:   H.B. No. 793

      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. 793 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ELECTRIC VEHICLES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1)  Increase the number of parking spaces for electric vehicles in places of public accommodation from one parking space for an electric vehicle per 100 parking spaces, to four parking spaces for electric vehicles per 100 parking spaces by July 1, 2022;

(2)  Remove the requirement allowing owners of multiple parking facilities to designate and electrify fewer parking spaces than required;

(3)  Require the Department of Transportation (DOT) to provide written notification to owners of places of public accommodation for noncompliance and specify a process for noncompliance, including fines for violations; and

(4)  Allow DOT to exempt a place of accommodation from compliance due to financial or engineering hardship.

Blue Planet Foundation, Ulupono Initiative, Sierra Club of Hawaii, and an individual testified in support of this measure.  The Retail Merchants of Hawaii, Building Owners and Managers Association of Hawaii, and an individual opposed this measure.  An individual submitted comments on this measure.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1)  Creating a two-year task force under the Department of Transportation to examine and make recommendations to expand electric vehicle parking spaces in public parking lots to meet public demands and the State's energy goals; and

(2)  Removing the requirement of four parking spaces for electric vehicles per 100 available spaces by July 1, 2022; and

(3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

     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. 793, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 793, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Transportation.

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

____________________________

CHRIS LEE, Chair