STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1149

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 1529

       S.D. 2

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committees on Judiciary and Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 1529, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HAWAII ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE OFFICE,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

 

     (1)  Establish the Hawaii State Energy Office;

 

     (2)  Establish the Deputy Director of Energy;

 

     (3)  Repeal the energy security special fund and end funding for the Hawaii clean energy initiative from the energy security special fund; and

 

     (4)  Appropriate funds from the general fund for the Hawaii State Energy Office.

 

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Oahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawaii and one individual.  Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism.

 

     Your Committees find that the development of clean, resilient, and sustainable energy is a priority of the State.  Your Committees further find that numerous entities within state government already exist to facilitate this goal, but that they lack a coherent legal framework for coordination.  This measure will enable these entities to pool their resources and focus their efforts toward furthering the State's goals of energy resiliency and self-sufficiency.

 

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Removing language that repealed the energy security special fund;

 

     (2)  Increasing the amount of tax on each barrel of petroleum product that is deposited into the energy systems development special fund from ten to fifteen cents;

 

     (3)  Repealing the distribution of tax revenues from each one million British thermal units that are deposited into the energy security special fund;

 

     (4)  Increasing the distribution of tax revenues from each one million British thermal units that are deposited into the energy systems development special fund from 9.5 to 14.3 percent; and

 

     (5)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Judiciary and Ways and Means that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1529, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1529, S.D. 2.


 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Judiciary and Ways and Means,

 

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair

 

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KARL RHOADS, Chair