STAND. COM. REP. NO. 223

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2019

RE: H.B. No. 1520

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. 1520 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to accelerate the State's progress towards energy efficiency by:

(1) Requiring electric and gas utilities to benchmark energy consumption for all nonresidential buildings, including commercial buildings; and

(2) Requiring owners and operators of a nonresidential building to disclose benchmarking data to prospective buyers, lessees, or lenders.

The Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism, Ulupono Initiative, Blue Planet Foundation, O‘ahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, and two individuals submitted testimony in support of the measure. Hawai‘i Gas supported the intent of this measure. The Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs; Public Utilities Commission; Hawaiian Electric Company; Maui Electric Company; and Hawaii Electric Light Company offered comments on this measure.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Clarifying language related to the provision and use of data in the portfolio management tool; and

(2) Specifying that the data disclosed will be aggregated and anonymized; and

(3) Changing its effective date to July 1, 2100, to promote further discussion.

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. 1520, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1520, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

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

____________________________

NICOLE E. LOWEN, Chair