STAND. COM. REP. NO. 837

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: H.B. No. 368

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce, to which was referred H.B. No. 368 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Require any reporting requirement established by the Public Utilities Commission by order to expire one year after the issuance of the order; and

(2) Permit the Public Utilities Commission to issue a new order continuing the reporting requirement; provided that the continuation is justified.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from Hawaiian Electric. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from Life of the Land and Ulupono Initiative. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs and Public Utilities Commission.

Your Committee finds that under its regulatory authority, the Public Utilities Commission may require a public utility to submit reports on a periodic basis. However, these periodic reporting requirements may remain for years after the reported information is useful or necessary for the Public Utilities Commission's oversight. This measure ensures that any reporting requirement with a term longer than a year is justified.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the effective date to June 30, 3000, 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 Consumer Protection & Commerce that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 368, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 368, H.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

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

____________________________

MARK M. NAKASHIMA, Chair