STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1075

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2021

RE: S.B. No. 920

S.D. 2

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection, to which was referred S.B. No. 920, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO STATE LIGHT DUTY VEHICLES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish clean ground transportation goals for state agencies to achieve a one hundred percent light-duty motor vehicle zero-emission fleet by December 31, 2030.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Transportation, Hawaii State Energy Office, Hawaii Electric Vehicle Association, Sustainable Energy Hawai‘i, Sierra Club of Hawai‘i, Ulupono Initiative, Kauai Climate Action Coalition, Kauai Electric Vehicle Association, Climate Protectors Hawaii, 350Hawaii.org, Blue Planet Foundation, Hawaii Automobile Dealers' Association, Hawaiian Electric Company, Big Island Electric Vehicle Association, Alliance for Automotive Innovation, and four individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the State Procurement Office and Pacific Biodiesel Technologies.

Your Committee finds that it is vital that the State begin transitioning away from imported fossil fuel-powered ground transportation and toward cleaner and more efficient transportation systems powered by renewable, local energy sources. This measure ensures that the State is progressing toward its goal of one hundred percent clean energy ground transportation by facilitating the transition toward the use of electric vehicles, which are less expensive to operate on a per-mile basis than their gas-powered counterparts.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting language that would have codified the State's clean ground transportation goal under chapter 105, Hawaii Revised Statutes;

(2) Inserting language that requires all agencies purchasing or leasing medium- and heavy-duty motor vehicles to seek vehicles that reduce dependence on petroleum-based fuels that meet the needs of the agency and adding procurement priorities for selecting vehicles;

(3) Clarifying provisions relating to the State's climate change mitigation goal to reduce emissions that cause climate change and build energy efficiencies across all sectors;

(4) Inserting language that requires the Department of Transportation, in collaboration with the Hawaii State Energy Office, to develop strategies to transition all light-duty motor vehicles in the State to meet the State's clean ground transportation goal;

(5) Clarifying provisions relating to the procurement policy for light-duty motor vehicles, including modernizing the procurement priorities for the purchasing or leasing of new vehicles;

(6) Updating and adding various definitions under section 103D-412, Hawaii Revised Statutes, to align with federal regulations;

(7) Inserting language to specify that vehicles acquired from another state agency and exempt from section 103D‑412, Hawaii Revised Statutes, shall be included in the calculation of the State's clean ground transportation goals;

(8) Specifying that all agencies, in their energy efficiency and environmental standards regarding motor vehicles and transportation fuel, promote efficient planning of charging station locations and efficient utilization of renewable energy for charging electric vehicles;

(9) Expand data collection requirements by agencies regarding the life of each vehicle acquired to include hourly charging data by electric vehicle and electric vehicle charger;

(10) Inserting language that establishes the State's clean ground transportation goals for its light-duty passenger cars and light-duty motor vehicles to be one hundred percent zero emission vehicles by December 31, 2030, and December 31, 2035, respectively;

(11) Inserting language that directs the Department of Accounting and General Services to approve state fleet acquisitions that meet certain requirements, including zero emission vehicle requirements for light-duty passenger cars and light-duty multipurpose passenger vehicles and trucks, and authorizes the Department to allow certain exemptions;

(12) Inserting language that requires state and county agencies to purchase building materials for the project that reduce the carbon footprint of the project whenever feasible and cost-effective; and

(13) 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 S.B. No. 920, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 920, S.D. 2, 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