STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2031

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 3096

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 Agriculture and Environment, to which was referred S.B. No. 3096 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO GREENHOUSE GASES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to prohibit the State from discriminating against persons who reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from Life of the Land, Hawaiian Civic Club of Honolulu, West Hawaii Community Health Center, O‘ahu County Legislative Priorities Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, Hawaii Farmers Union United, 350 Hawaii, and three individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Department of Health.

Your Committee finds that individuals can reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by being more conscious of their own actions, which may include disconnecting from an electric grid and installing on-site renewable energy systems, energy efficiency systems, and energy storage systems. Your Committee also finds that the State should promote a worldview where renewable energy users are considered to be in the public interest.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting language to encourage people to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions through the installation of on-site renewable energy systems, energy efficiency systems, and energy storage systems, and deleting language that prohibited discrimination against people who reduce their greenhouse gas emissions; and

(2) Amending section 1 to reflect the amended purpose.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Agriculture and Environment that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 3096, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3096, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Agriculture and Environment,

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MIKE GABBARD, Chair