STAND. COM. REP. NO.  536

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2011

 

RE:   H.B. No. 1257

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce, to which was referred H.B. No. 1257 entitled:

 

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

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this bill is to require the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to consider technology, carbon emissions, and cost to consumers when considering an electric utility's application for a certificate of public convenience and necessity.

 

     The Consumer Advocate in the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs; the Hawaii Cattlemen's Council; Indigenous Consultants, LLC; and several concerned individuals supported this bill.  The Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation supported the intent of this measure.  The PUC did not support this measure.  The Sierra Club-Hawaii Chapter opposed this bill.

 

     Your Committee has amended this bill by moving its provisions from section 269-7.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS), relating to certificates of public convenience and necessity to section 269-27.2, HRS, relating to use of electricity generated from nonfossil fuels, to more accurately reflect the underlying purpose of the new provision.

 


     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. 1257, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1257, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

ROBERT N. HERKES, Chair