STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1074

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 691

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection, to which was referred S.B. No. 691, S.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Authorize the Chief Energy Officer of the Hawaii State Energy Office to adopt rules to enforce minimum efficiency standards for certain products and adopt or amend minimum efficiency standards in certain situations; and

(2) Regulate the minimum efficiency standards for air purifiers, electric vehicle supply equipment, portable electric spas, residential ventilating fans, toilets, urinals, and water coolers.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Honolulu Board of Water Supply, Ulupono Initiative, Blue Planet Foundation, and Hawai‘i Energy. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Hawaii State Energy Office, Plumbing and Mechanical Contractors Association of Hawaii, and Plumbing Manufacturers International.

Your Committee finds that information regarding appliance efficiency standards empowers consumers to make informed choices based on energy, water and financial considerations regarding the equipment. Appliance efficiency standards also protect consumers in the State from "dumping" by manufacturers who cannot sell less efficient products in markets where efficiency standards exist. This measure adds several appliances to the State's minimum appliance efficiency standards to decrease energy and water use and help consumers save money.

Your Committee notes the concerns raised in testimony that some of the appliance efficiency standards established by this measure reference industry standards that have recently been updated or do not match federal standards. Therefore, amendments to this measure are necessary to address these concerns.

Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting language exempting urinals and toilets designed and marketed exclusively for use in prisons and mental health care facilities from the appliance efficiency standards;

(2) Clarifying that certain wall-mounted urinals shall have a maximum flush volume of 0.5 gallons per flush, rather than 0.125 gallons per flush;

(3) Deleting a reference to the ENERGY STAR Program Requirements Product Specification for Water Coolers, Version 2.0, and replacing it with a reference to Version 3.0;

(4) Clarifying that the provisions of this measure shall apply to appliances that are manufactured on or after January 1, 2025;

(5) Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 691, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 691, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection,

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JARRETT KEOHOKALOLE, Chair