STAND. COM. REP. NO. 474

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 907

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Economic Development, Tourism, and Technology and Higher Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 907 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO REPORTING BY THE DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND TOURISM,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

     (1)  Repeal the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism's ongoing reporting requirement to the Legislature regarding greenhouse gas emissions; and

     (2)  Redirect the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism's responsibility to appoint the panel to conduct the evaluation of the Energy Systems Development Special Fund projects to the University of Hawaii.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; and University of Hawai‘i System.  Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual.

     Your Committees find that the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Task Force was dissolved in 2010; therefore, reporting every five years is no longer practical or useful.  Your Committees further find that the Hawaii Natural Energy Institute comes under the purview of the University of Hawaii.  Thus, the University of Hawaii would be the proper entity to appoint the panel to conduct the evaluation of the Energy Systems Development Special Fund projects.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Economic Development, Tourism, and Technology and Higher Education that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 907 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Economic Development, Tourism, and Technology and Higher Education,

________________________________ KAIALI'I KAHELE, Chair

________________________________ GLENN WAKAI, Chair