STAND. COM. REP. NO. 32-20

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2020

RE: H.B. No. 2227

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection, to which was referred H.B. No. 2227 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this Act is to:

(1) Authorize the Chief Energy Officer of the Hawaii State Energy Office, instead of the Director of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, to adopt rules to enforce minimum efficiency standards for certain products and establish or amend appliance efficiency standards in certain situations; and

(2) Regulate the appliance efficiency standards for air purifiers and portable electric spas.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii State Energy Office, Pono Hawaii Initiative, Blue Planet, Hawaii Energy, 350Hawaii.org, and numerous individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from Plumbing Manufacturers International and Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Consumer Technology Association.

Your Committee finds that in 2019, legislation was enacted to establish minimum efficiency standards for certain products sold, leased, or rented in Hawaii. Those standards are estimated to result in more than $500,000,000 in cumulative utility bills savings over the next 15 years. Expanding the list of products requiring minimum efficiency standards can help save millions of dollars in utility bills annually and offer even more benefits for Hawaii residents.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing its effective date to July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

(2) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of 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. 2227, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2227, 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