STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1699

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2009

 

RE:   S.B. No. 1173

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 3

 

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred S.B. No. 1173, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, entitled:

 

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

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this bill is to support efforts to reduce the consumption of energy by:

 

     (1)  Establishing various requirements, guidelines, standards, and incentives for energy-efficiency initiatives and programs; and

 

     (2)  Adding various duties and responsibilities relating to energy-efficiency to the list of duties and responsibilities of the Public Benefits Fee Administrator that may be established by the Public Utilities Commission (PUC).

 

     The Department of Accounting and General Services and Department of Taxation supported this bill.  The Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism (DBEDT), PUC, Hawaii Association of REALTORS, Hawaiian Electric Company, Hawaii Electric Light Company, Maui Electric Company, Blue Planet Foundation, Gentry Homes, Ltd., and Hawaii Renewable Energy Alliance submitted comments.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Deleting the income tax credit for net-zero energy buildings;

 

     (2)  Establishing the Building Energy Efficiency Revolving Loan Fund within DBEDT to provide low or zero-interest loans or other financial assistance to public, private, and nonprofit borrowers for making energy efficiency improvements in buildings;

 

     (3)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2020, to encourage further discussion; and

 

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

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1173, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1173, S.D. 2, H.D. 3.

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

MARCUS R. OSHIRO, Chair