STAND. COM. REP. NO. 526

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 661

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Government Operations and Transportation, to which was referred S.B. No. 661 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FUEL CELL ELECTRIC VEHICLES,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Grant procurement priority for fuel cell electric vehicles for state and county vehicle purchases; and

(2) Include fuel cell electric vehicles in the definition of "electric vehicles" for purposes of parking fee exemption, high occupancy vehicle lane use, registration, and required parking spaces in places of public accommodation.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Transportation; Ulupono Initiative; Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers; Servco Pacific, Inc.; O‘ahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i; Hawaii Automobile Dealers' Association; Blue Planet Foundation; and one individual.

Your Committees find that fuel cell electric vehicles are a viable alternative to gasoline-powered vehicles. Increasing the use of more fuel cell electric vehicles will reduce carbon emissions and improve the quality of life in Hawaii. However, under existing law, certain priority considerations and incentives are currently available to battery electric vehicles but not fuel cell electric vehicles. This measure expands the definition of "electric vehicle" to include fuel cell electric vehicles, which will afford more incentives for fuel cell electric vehicles, drastically improve transportation efficiency, and reduce carbon emissions in Hawaii.

Your Committees have amended this measure by amending the definition of "fuel cell electric vehicle" to ensure all fuel cell technology is appropriately included.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Government Operations and Transportation that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 661, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 661, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Government Operations and Transportation,

________________________________ LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair

________________________________ LAURA H. THIELEN, Chair