STAND. COM. REP. NO.  271

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

 

RE:   H.B. No. 1267

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection, to which was referred H.B. No. 1267 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ENERGY SECURITY AND ENERGY EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this bill is to strengthen the State's energy emergency preparedness program's coverage of all forms of energy emergencies, consistent with the threats to energy security and the state energy emergency preparedness program.

 

     Specifically, this bill clarifies that the Director of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism is the state energy resource coordinator authorized to acquire and use energy industry information obtained by the Public Utilities Commission.  The bill also redefines the types of information that all energy companies may be required to submit to the energy resources coordinator in an energy emergency or shortage.  This bill further authorizes the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to compile and analyze information, including confidential information, for energy emergency planning and preparedness, mitigation, response, and recovery.  Finally, this bill appropriates $100,000 for fiscal year 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 to fund one temporary full-time position to support the State's energy emergency preparedness and energy security analytic functions.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this bill from the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism.  The Office of Information Practices offered comments.

 

     Upon further consideration, your Committee has amended this bill by:

 

(1)  Clarifying language in section 1 of the bill relating to the Legislature's findings, on page 6, lines 5-12;

 

(2)  Adding "exclusive application" language to section 125C‑6, Hawaii Revised Statutes, similar to the language added to section 125C‑4, Hawaii Revised Statutes, relating to petitioning for the adoption, amendment, repeal, or suspension of rules, as applicable to sections 125C‑2, 125C‑3, and part II of chapter 125C, Hawaii Revised Statutes;

 

(3)  Clarifying that the appropriation made in section 21 of the bill takes effect on July 1, 2007; and

 

(4)  Making technical nonsubstantive amendments for the purpose of clarity and consistency.

 

     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. 1267, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1267, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committees on Consumer Protection & Commerce and Judiciary.

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

HERMINA MORITA, Chair