STAND. COM. REP. NO. 504

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: H.B. No. 733

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection, to which was referred H.B. No. 733 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ELECTRIC VEHICLE PARKING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Remove the loophole that allows property owners to electrify fewer spaces than required if they fulfill the requirement in aggregate across different parking lots; and

(2) Provide the counties the clear authority to regulate electric vehicle charging systems on parking lots with fewer than one hundred stalls.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii State Energy Office; Hawaiʻi Energy; Hawaii Electric Vehicle Association; Ulupono Initiative; Climate Protectors Hawaiʻi; 350Hawaii.org; and one individual. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from Retail Merchants of Hawaii.

Your Committee finds that in order for the State to effectively transition to increased electric vehicle usage, there is a need for a widespread and reliable network of charging infrastructure. Your Committee further finds that Act 75, Session Laws of Hawaii 2021, was intended to expedite the rollout of electric vehicle charging infrastructure by providing the counties enforcement authority over charging and maintenance requirements. However, a loophole exists in which owners of multiple properties are allowed to provide charging infrastructure on fewer spaces than required in an individual parking lot if the number of charging stations is met in aggregate. This measure addresses this issue by removing the loophole and providing counties the authority to regulate electric vehicle charging systems on parking lots with fewer than one hundred stalls.

Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion.

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. 733, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 733, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection,

____________________________

NICOLE E. LOWEN, Chair