STAND.
COM. REP. NO. 1207
Honolulu, Hawaii
, 2025
RE: S.B. No. 997
S.D. 3
H.D. 1
Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura
Speaker, House of Representatives
Thirty-Third State Legislature
Regular Session of 2025
State of Hawaii
Madame:
Your Committees on Energy & Environmental Protection and Labor, to which was referred S.B. No. 997, S.D. 3, entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ENERGY,"
beg leave to report as follows:
The purpose of this measure is to:
(1) Allow the Public Utilities Commission to authorize preferential rates for the purchase of firm renewable energy from facilities in conjunction with prevailing wages; and
(2) Require public utilities to forward requests for preferential rates for the purchase of firm renewable energy produced from facilities in conjunction with prevailing wages to the Public Utilities Commission for approval.
Your Committees
find that the State must support the development of renewable energy projects
while ensuring that such projects abide by certain project labor standards. However, your Committees find that this
measure, as currently drafted, allows the authorization of rates that are
preferential to producers of firm renewable energy, which may increase rates
for ratepayers. Your Committees further
find that amendments to this measure are necessary to focus instead on the
adherence of renewable energy generation projects to certain labor standards.
Your Committees have amended this measure accordingly by reverting to the version of this measure as introduced, which requires an attestation or declaration regarding project labor standards, including adherence to state-approved apprenticeship programs and prevailing wage requirements, for covered large-scale renewable energy generation projects, and further amending the measure by:
(1) Removing the exemption to the attestation or declaration regarding project labor standards;
(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000,
to encourage further discussion; and
(3) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments
for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.
As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Energy & Environmental Protection and Labor that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 997, S.D. 3, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 997, S.D. 3, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Energy & Environmental Protection and Labor,
|
____________________________ JACKSON D. SAYAMA, Chair |
|
____________________________ NICOLE E. LOWEN, Chair |