STAND. COM. REP. NO. 715-18

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2018

RE: H.B. No. 2719

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection, to which was referred H.B. No. 2719 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ENERGY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Establish the Hawaii Clean Economy Initiative Advisory Board (Board) to advise the State on the transition to a clean energy economy and support the State in meeting its goal of building an economy that, by 2045, sequesters more atmospheric carbon than it produces;

(2) Allocates funds from the Energy Security Special Fund to support the Board;

(3) Changes the name of the Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative Program to the Hawaii Clean Economy Initiative Program (Program) and expands the role of the Program to manage the State's transition to a clean transportation economy; and

(4) Extends the implementation date of the Program's plans from 2030 to 2045.

The Oahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, Ulupono Initiative, Hawaii Island Economic Development Board, Hawai‘i Interfaith Power & Light, Patients Without Time, Sierra Club of Hawai‘i, Cuddle Party, Hawaiian Civic Club of Honolulu, and several individual supported this measure. The Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism and Life of the Land provided comments.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing its effective date to January 28, 2045, to encourage further discussion; and

(2) 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. 2719, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2719, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

CHRIS LEE, Chair