STAND. COM. REP. NO.  659

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2017

 

RE:   H.B. No. 1249

      H.D. 2

 

 

 

 

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Housing, to which was referred H.B. No. 1249, H.D. 1, entitled:

 

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

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to:

 

(1)  Require the typical monthly operating costs of all new home sales to be disclosed to potential buyers; and

 

(2)  Direct the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism (DBEDT) to convene a working group of concerned citizens, affected businesses, and energy-related industries to develop strategies and methods to maximize the energy efficiency of residential dwellings in the State.

 

     Ulupono Initiative and Hawaii Energy Program testified in support of this measure.  DBEDT opposed this measure.  Blue Planet Foundation, Hawaii Association of Realtors, Hawaiian Electric Company and its subsidiary utilities Maui Electric Company and Hawaii Electric Light Company provided comments on this measure.


 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

(1)  Adding the Chairperson of the Public Utilities Commission or the Chair's designee to the working group;

 

(2)  Broadening the scope of the working group;

 

(3)  Requiring the working group to also make recommendations on building and energy codes and standards intended to ensure that new single-family residential construction maximizes cost-effective energy efficiency opportunities;

 

(4)  Requiring the working group to present its recommendations to the State Building Code Council (Council), and starting February 1, 2018, assist the Council in its review of recommendations and any potential amendments;

 

(5)  Terminating the working group on June 30, 2018;

 

(6)  Changing its effective date to take effect upon a date to be determined to facilitate further discussion on this measure; and

 

(7)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1249, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1249, H.D. 2.

 

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Housing,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

TOM BROWER, Chair