STAND. COM. REP. NO. 469

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 1024

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Transportation and Culture and the Arts and Agriculture and Environment, to which was referred S.B. No. 1024 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Establish long-term goals for zero-emission transportation in Hawaii and abroad to reduce and eliminate transportation emissions;

(2) Establish the Ground Transportation and Interisland and Transpacific Transportation Working Groups; and

(3) Require annual reports to the Hawaii Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission and the Legislature.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission, Office of Planning and Sustainable Development, Department of Research and Development of the County of Hawai‘i, Climate Protectors Hawaii, Environmental Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, Alliance for Automotive Innovation, Hawaiian Airlines, Big Island Electric Vehicle Association, Ulupono Initiative, Blue Planet Foundation, Kauai Climate Action Coalition, and ten individuals. Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from three individuals. Your Committees received comments on this measure from Hawaii Automobile Dealers' Association.

Your Committees find that while transportation accounts for the majority of the State's greenhouse gas emissions, the State is ideally suited to serve as a unique incubator for innovative new technologies and services that will assist countries around the world to achieve zero-emissions transportation. Additionally, the State is also an ideal location to serve as an incubator for short-range sea and air travel between the islands. This measure establishes working groups to develop plans and recommendations to achieve clean energy goals, establishes long-term goals for zero-emissions transportation in the State while also assisting other countries to create zero-emissions transportation.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Renaming the Hawaii Transportation Initiative to the Hawaii Clean Transportation Initiative;

(2) Clarifying that each department, board, and commission shall incorporate ground transportation; interisland transportation; and international transpacific transportation goals into their plans and act to achieve clean transportation goals;

(3) Renaming the Ground Transportation Working Group to the Clean Ground Transportation Working Group and amending its scope of responsibilities accordingly;

(4) Designating the Director of Transportation and the Chief Energy Officer as co-chairpersons of the Clean Ground Transportation Working Group;

(5) Adding the mayor of each county and the chairpersons of the Senate and House of Representatives standing committees whose purview is transportation, or their designees, to the Clean Ground Transportation Working Group;

(6) Renaming the Interisland and Transpacific Transportation Working Group to the Interisland and Transpacific Clean Transportation Working Group and amending its scope of responsibilities accordingly;

(7) Designating the Director of Transportation and the Chief Energy Officer as co-chairpersons of the Interisland and Transpacific Clean Transportation Working Group;

(8) Adding the mayor of each county and the chairpersons of the Senate and House of Representatives standing committees whose purview is transportation, or their designees, to the Interisland and Transpacific Clean Transportation Working Group;

(9) Requiring the Department of Transportation, Office of Planning and Sustainable Development, and the Hawaii State Energy Office to develop plans in coordination with the working groups to increase the State's electric charging capacity, including:

(A) The rate by which electric vehicle sales are projected to replace internal combustion vehicle sales;

(B) The rate by which other electric transportation options are projected to require charging capacity; and

(C) The development and implementation of other options that accelerate the transition to zero emissions transportation; and

(10) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Transportation and Culture and the Arts and Agriculture and Environment that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1024, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1024, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Transportation and Culture and the Arts and Agriculture and Environment,

________________________________ MIKE GABBARD, Chair

________________________________ CHRIS LEE, Chair