CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 98

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2019

RE: S.B. No. 1241

S.D. 1

H.D. 1

C.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sirs:

Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 1241, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ENERGY DATA,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

The purpose of this measure is to add the Department of Health to the list of state departments that have access to the energy data collected pursuant to chapter 486J, Hawaii Revised Statutes, in order to increase the accuracy and reduce the levels of uncertainty in the Department of Health's annual greenhouse gas progress reports.

Your Committee on Conference finds that climate change poses a serious threat to the State. The Department of Health prepares annual greenhouse gas progress reports and is the primary agency with regulatory oversight of Hawaii's greenhouse gas emissions. Your Committee on Conference also finds that existing state law prohibits the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism from sharing energy data in its original form with the Department of Health. This measure allows the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to share original energy data with the Department of Health, which will reduce uncertainty, result in more accurate statewide greenhouse gas emissions inventories, and provide a more reliable basis for future greenhouse gas reduction efforts.

Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by changing its effective date to upon approval.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1241, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1241, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

____________________________ NICOLE E. LOWEN Co-Chair	____________________________ GLENN WAKAI Chair
____________________________ TINA WILDBERGER Co-Chair	____________________________ ROSALYN H. BAKER Co-Chair
	____________________________ KARL RHOADS Co-Chair