STAND. COM. REP. NO. 207-18

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 Committees on Energy & Environmental Protection and Economic Development & Business, to which was referred H.B. No. 2724 entitled:

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

beg 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) Transfering the duties and responsibilities of DBEDT's Energy Resources Coordinator to the Director of the Office of Clean Energy; and

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

Hawaii Bioeconomy Trade Organization, Life of the Land, and Blue Planet Foundation supported this measure. An individual opposed this measure. The Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism provided comments.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Clarifying that the goal of the Office of Clean Energy is to help the State achieve a resilient clean energy economy that sequesters more atmospheric carbon and greenhouse gases than it produces as quickly as practicable, but no later than 2045; and

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

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Energy & Environmental Protection and Economic Development & Business that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2724, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2724, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Labor & Public Employment.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Energy & Environmental Protection and Economic Development & Business,

____________________________ CINDY EVANS, Chair

____________________________ CHRIS LEE, Chair