HB2728

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that Hawaii's dependence on imported fossil fuels drains the state economy of billions of dollars each year. In addition, the volatility of imported fuel prices creates significant risks for the economy and adds to the cost of living for local families.

The legislature notes that on a per-mile basis, it is significantly less expensive to commute in an electric vehicle than it is to commute in a gas-powered automobile. Residents can lower their cost of living by relying on local renewable energy for transportation, and by transitioning to less-expensive renewable vehicles and transportation systems.

The legislature also finds that autonomous electric vehicles are already operating on public roads in cities around the country. The emergence of these vehicles signals an approaching revolution in transportation that has the potential to dramatically reduce costs for consumers and change the way people commute. However, in order for local consumers and families to benefit from these changes and properly transition away from expensive fossil fuel vehicles, Hawaii must have in place certain critical infrastructure elements, such as electric vehicle charging stations.

The legislature further finds that the continued use of fossil fuels contributes to climate change, which poses a serious threat to the State's economy, public health, natural resources, and environment. Climate change is killing Hawaii's reefs and causing sea level rise, which is expected to result in $19,000,000,000 in losses of coastal residences, businesses, and infrastructure. Climate change also poses a serious threat to public health by increasing the incidence of infectious diseases, asthma, and other health-related problems.

The purpose of this Act is to begin the State's transition to one hundred per cent clean ground transportation by:

(1) Establishing a clean transportation initiative to reduce and ultimately eliminate the use of fossil fuels in:

(A) All public ground transportation by 2035; and

(B) All ground transportation, which includes a near term 2025 target benchmark;

(2) Requiring the department of transportation to collaborate with the state energy office to assist stakeholders in making all public ground transportation clean transportation by 2035, and to identify a plan and develop recommendations to help make all ground transportation clean transportation; and

(3) Clarifying that the transportation objectives of the State Planning Act include the reduction and ultimate elimination of the use of fossil fuels in all public ground transportation by 2035, and in all ground transportation thereafter.

SECTION 2. Chapter 264, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to part I be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"§264- Hawaii clean transportation initiative. (a) The department of transportation, in collaboration with the state energy office of the department of business, economic development, and tourism, shall:

(1) Assist stakeholders with planning to reduce and ultimately eliminate the use of fossil fuels in all public ground transportation by 2035, as identified in section 196-10.5(a)(8);

(2) Identify a plan to deploy necessary infrastructure and make progress toward the one hundred per cent clean ground transportation goals of reducing and ultimately eliminating the use of fossil fuels in all ground transportation, as identified in section 196‑10.5(a)(9);

(3) Develop recommendations regarding the additional steps necessary to help achieve the goals of this section; and

(4) Convene stakeholders in a clean ground transportation forum to solicit input on the department of transportation's clean transportation activities and implement any changes that will help to achieve the goals of this section.

(b) The department of transportation shall include recommendations as developed pursuant to this section in the report the department submits annually to the legislature pursuant to part II of Act 100, Session Laws of Hawaii 1999, as amended by Act 154, Session Laws of Hawaii 2005.

(c) The clean ground transportation forum convened by the department pursuant to this section shall not be subject to chapter 92.

(d) For purposes of this section, "clean transportation" means ground transportation that does not consume fossil fuels."

SECTION 3. Section 196-10.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:

"(a) There is established within the department of business, economic development, and tourism, a Hawaii clean energy initiative program to manage the State's transition to a clean energy economy. The clean energy program shall design, implement, and administer activities that include:

(1) Strategic partnerships for the research, development, testing, deployment, and permitting of clean and renewable technologies;

(2) Engineering and economic evaluations of Hawaii's potential for near-term project opportunities for the State's renewable energy resources;

(3) Electric grid reliability and security projects that will enable the integration of a substantial increase of electricity from renewable-energy resources;

(4) A statewide clean energy public education and outreach plan to be developed in coordination with Hawaii's institutions of public education;

(5) Promotion of Hawaii's clean and renewable resources to potential partners and investors;

(6) A plan, to be implemented from 2011 to [~~2030,~~] 2045, to transition the State to a clean energy economy; [~~and~~]

(7) A plan, to be implemented from 2011 to [~~2030,~~] 2045, to assist each county in transitioning to a clean energy economy[.];

(8) A plan, to be implemented from 2018 to 2035, to reduce and ultimately eliminate the use of fossil fuels in all public ground transportation by 2035; and

(9) A plan, to be implemented beginning in 2018, to deploy necessary infrastructure and make progress toward the one hundred per cent clean ground transportation goals of reducing and ultimately eliminating the use of fossil fuels in all ground transportation; provided that the plan and its implementation shall achieve not less than a ten per cent reduction in fossil fuel consumption in ground transportation relative to 2015 levels by 2025, and shall include metrics to measure and evaluate progress toward the goals of this section; provided further that two years prior to the completion of the plan and every five years thereafter, a report shall be submitted to the legislature that includes:

(A) Progress made toward the established target benchmark; and

(B) A new target benchmark for the further reduction of fossil fuel consumption in ground transportation for the subsequent five years."

SECTION 4. Section 226-17, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

"(a) Planning for the State's facility systems with regard to transportation shall be directed towards the achievement of the following objectives:

(1) An integrated multi-modal transportation system that services statewide needs and promotes the efficient, economical, safe, and convenient movement of people and goods[.];

(2) A statewide transportation system that is consistent with and will accommodate planned growth objectives throughout the State[.]; and

(3) Increased energy security and self-sufficiency through the reduction and ultimate elimination of the use of fossil fuels in all public ground transportation by 2035, and in all ground transportation thereafter."

SECTION 5. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 6. This Act shall take effect upon its approval; provided that section 2 of this Act shall be repealed on January 31, 2046.

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	2728
TWENTY-NINTH LEGISLATURE, 2018
STATE OF HAWAII