STAND. COM. REP. NO. 979

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2019

RE: H.B. No. 1585

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 Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 1585, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE ENVIRONMENT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Require the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to provide rebates to persons who install a new electric vehicle charging system or upgrade an existing electric vehicle charging system;

(2) Create the Electric Vehicle Charging Station Rebate Program Special Fund and appropriate moneys out of this Special Fund to make rebate program payments and to pay other administrative costs; and

(3) Amend the purposes and uses of funds from the Energy Security Special Fund.

The Hawaiian Electric Company Inc. and its subsidiary utilities Maui Electric Company, Ltd. and Hawai‘i Electric Light Company, Inc.; Tesla, Inc.; Environmental Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i; Retail Merchants of Hawaii; Organizing for Action; Blue Planet Foundation; and a concerned individual testified in support of this measure. The Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism; Department of Budget and Finance; Tax Foundation of Hawaii; Building Industry Association of Hawaii; Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers; and Ulupono Initiative provided comments on this measure.

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. 1585, 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