STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3659

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 2075

H.D. 2

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 2075, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ENERGY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to reestablish the matching grant program established by Act 159, Session Laws of Hawaii 2015, which authorized the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to provide grants to qualified businesses conducting research and development in alternative energy.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Hawaii Technology Development Corporation; Navatek; Makai Ocean Engineering, Inc.; Chamber of Commerce Hawaii; Oahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawaii; and five individuals.

Your Committee received written comments on this measure from Oceanit Laboratories, Inc.

Your Committee finds that the matching grant program has helped companies obtain needed funding to continue their alternative energy research and development, which helps to create high paying jobs and meet Hawaii's clean energy goals.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2075, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

________________________________

DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair