STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1414

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2021

 

RE:   S.B. No. 756

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 2

 

 

 

 

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce, to which was referred S.B. No. 756, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ELECTRIC VEHICLES,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to incentivize the use of electric vehicles by:

 

     (1)  Authorizing the counties to enforce the mandatory provision of parking spaces for the exclusive use by electric vehicles and of electric vehicle charging stations for those spaces;

 

     (2)  Increasing the required number of parking stalls reserved for the exclusive use by electric vehicles at places of public accommodation with at least one hundred parking spaces to five parking spaces per one hundred parking spaces by January 1, 2025;

 

     (3)  Requiring that every electric charging station placed in service on or after January 1, 2022, be at least a Level 2 charging station that is network capable;

 

     (4)  Specifying that law enforcement officers and commissioned volunteers may enter private property to enforce the requirement for a minimum number of parking spaces reserved for exclusive use by electric vehicles, and law enforcement offices may enter private property to enforce the prohibition on non-electric vehicles parking in these stalls;

 

     (5)  Reallocating a portion of the Environmental Response, Energy, and Food Security Tax to a newly established subaccount in the Public Utilities Commission Special Fund for the Electric Vehicle Charging System Rebate Program; and

 

     (6)  Appropriating funds for the Electric Vehicle Charging System Rebate Program.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Transportation; Hawaii State Energy Office; Public Utilities Commission; one member of the Maui County Council; Office of Climate Change, Sustainability and Resiliency of the City and County of Honolulu; 350Hawaii.org; Ulupono Initiative; Environmental Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaii; Climate Protectors Hawaii; Blue Planet Foundation; Our Revolution Hawaii; Tesla; Faith Action for Community Equity Environmental Justice Task Force; Environmental Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaii; and eleven individuals.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Building Owners and Managers Association of Hawaii, Hawaii Credit Union League, Building Industry Association of Hawaii, Brookfield Properties, National Association of Industry and Office Properties – Hawaii Chapter, Retail Merchants of Hawaii, and eleven individuals.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance, Department of Design and Construction of the City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii Energy, Chamber of Commerce Hawaii, Tax Foundation of Hawaii, and Hawaiian Electric Company.

 

     Your Committee finds that the State has committed to several goals in an attempt to prevent or mitigate the effects of climate change, including the adoption of the renewable portfolio standards and zero emissions clean economy target.  Your Committee further finds that ground transportation accounts for forty‑seven percent of the State's 8,690,000 metric tons of transportation emissions.  This measure continues the State's commitment to lowering the State's carbon emissions and reliance on fossil fuels by promoting electric vehicles.

 

     Your Committee further finds that as more consumers consider purchasing electric vehicles, the lack of any easily accessible infrastructure will deter greater consumer adoption of electric vehicles.  This measure also ensures that the necessary infrastructure for electric vehicles will be easily accessible and economically viable.

 

     Your Committee notes that the mandate for electric vehicle charging stations requires the property owner to invest monies for retrofitting any infrastructure necessary for the installation of the electric vehicle charging stations.  Your Committee further notes that nothing in this measure prevents or prohibits a landowner or business to charge reasonable fees to regain the amounts invested.  Your Committee, however, requests that should this measure continue to progress through the legislative process, that further consideration be given to whether the increased mandatory minimum number of parking stalls reserved for exclusive use by electric vehicles proposed by this measure should only apply to new construction or apply to new construction and existing parking structures and lots.  Your Committee additionally notes that this measure may be enhanced with guidance on what constitutes reasonable fees.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the appropriation to an unspecified amount.

 

     Should your Committee on Finance choose to deliberate on this measure, your Committee respectfully requests your Committee on Finance to consider $300,000 as an appropriate amount for the funding of the Electric Vehicle Charging System Rebate Program.

 

     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 S.B. No. 756, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 756, S.D. 2, H.D. 2.

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

AARON LING JOHANSON, Chair