STAND. COM. REP. NO. 129

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2019

RE: H.B. No. 1583

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection, to which was referred H.B. No. 1583 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ELECTRIC GRID RESILIENCY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Require the Department of Education (Department) to establish a pilot program to provide various schools with renewable energy systems that are capable of providing backup power in the event of a natural disaster or other similar emergency; and

(2) Require the Public Utilities Commission (Commission) to open a proceeding to incentivize the installation of renewable energy systems.

Blue Planet Foundation, Hawaii Farmers Union, O‘ahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, and a few individuals supported this measure. The Division of Consumer Advocacy of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Public Utilities Commission, Department of Education, Hawaiian Electric Company, Maui Electric Company, Hawai‘i Electric Light Company, Alliance for Solar Choice, Hawaii Solar Energy Association, and Life of the Land provided comments.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting language statutorily requiring the Commission to open a proceeding to incentivize the installation of renewable energy systems and instead requiring the Commission to consider incentivizing the implementation of renewable energy systems in public schools in its ongoing proceedings;

(2) Changing its effective date to July 1, 2100, to encourage further discussion; and

(3) 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. 1583, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1583, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Lower & Higher Education.

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

____________________________

NICOLE E. LOWEN, Chair