STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1110-18

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2018

RE: H.B. No. 2724

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 Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 2724, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO STATE ENERGY AGENCIES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish a primary state energy agency that will assist both the public and private sectors in achieving the State's energy goals by:

(1) Establishing the Office of Clean Energy within the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT) for administrative purposes only;

(2) Transferring the duties and responsibilities of DBEDT's Energy Resources Coordinator to the Director of the Office of Clean Energy; and

(3) Transferring the functions of the State Energy Office to the Office of Clean Energy.

The Blue Planet Foundation, Oahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, Sierra Club of Hawai‘i, Young Progressives Demanding Action - Hawaii, and several concerned individuals testified in support of this measure. The Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, Hawaii Energy Policy Forum, and Hawaii BioEconomy Trade Association provided comments.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2724, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair