STAND. COM. REP. NO.  863

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2015

 

RE:   H.B. No. 1296

      H.D. 2

 

 

 

 

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 1296, H.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ENERGY,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to promote the expansion of hydrogen-based energy in Hawaii by:

 

     (1)  Designating the Director of the Hawaii Center for Advanced Transportation Technologies of the High Technology Development Corporation as the State Hydrogen Implementation Coordinator to facilitate the establishment of hydrogen energy infrastructure and policies;

 

     (2)  Requiring the State Hydrogen Implementation Coordinator to convene a Hydrogen Implementation Working Group and submit a report of the working group's findings to the Legislature; and

 

     (3)  Amending the expenditure authorization for the Hydrogen Investment Capital Special Fund to specify that it shall fund the implementation of hydrogen infrastructure.

 


     The Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism, Hawaii Automobile Dealers' Association, Hawaii Energy Policy Forum, Blue Planet Research, Hawaii Clean Energy Foundation, and a concerned individual provided testimony supporting this measure.  The Hawaii Strategic Development Corporation, The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, Life of the Land, and High Technology Development Corporation submitted comments.

 

     Your Committee has amended the measure by:

 

     (1)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2030, to allow for further discussion; and

 

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

 

     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 H.B. No. 1296, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1296, H.D. 2.

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair