STAND. COM. REP. NO. 422

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 635

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Government Operations and Energy and Intergovernmental Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 635 entitled:

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

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Require all state agencies to use energy efficient lighting; and

(2) Require the Hawaii State Energy Office to provide technical assistance, survey state agencies for compliance, and submit a report of the survey to the Legislature.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaiʻi Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission, 350Hawaii.org, Hawaiʻi Energy, and Coalition Earth.

Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Hawaii State Energy Office.

Your Committees find that as part of the twenty-five Governor US Climate Alliance, Hawaii has committed to taking high-impact actions to accelerate greenhouse gas emission deductions and reach net zero operating emissions for government buildings by 2030. LED lights are a relatively simple, cost-efficient method of improving the State's climate impact. LED lights are more energy-efficient than fluorescent alternatives, costing taxpayers less in the long-term while reducing emissions. This measure progresses the State towards its climate goals by requiring all state buildings, with the assistance of the Hawaii State Energy Office, to expeditiously transition to energy efficient lighting.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Requiring the Hawaii State Energy Office to assign priority to first responder facilities when providing technical assistance in transitioning to energy efficient lighting and in conducting the compliance survey;

(2) Requiring the Department of Accounting and General Services to provide technical assistance to the Hawaii State Energy Office in conducting the compliance survey;

(3) Amending section 1 to reflect its amended purpose; and

(4) Inserting an effective date of January 1, 2491, to encourage further discussion.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Government Operations and Energy and Intergovernmental Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 635, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 635, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Government Operations and Energy and Intergovernmental Affairs,

________________________________ GLENN WAKAI, Chair

________________________________ ANGUS L.K. MCKELVEY, Chair