STAND. COM. REP. NO.  484

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2021

 

RE:   H.B. No. 328

      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 Housing, to which was referred H.B. No. 328, 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 allow for the installation of certain energy-efficient technologies on privately-owned single-family residential dwellings or townhouses, with limited restrictions, and require private entities to adopt rules that provide for the placement of energy-efficient technologies.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii State Energy Office, Hawaii Energy, Our Revolution Hawaii, Climate Protectors of Hawaii, 350Hawaii.org, and one individual.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Hawaii Chapter of the Community Associations Institute, Legislative Action Committee.

 

     Your Committee finds that part of the State's overall goal for energy efficiency is to reduce electricity consumption.  Supporting the retrofitting of existing residential and commercial buildings and identifying non-building related energy efficiency measures is a cost-effective step to meet this goal.  Permitting homeowners to install energy-efficient technologies will help the State to accelerate energy efficiency and assist in reaching its clean energy goals.

 

     Upon consideration, your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Clarifying that private entities must review their rules on energy-efficient technologies and, if necessary, modify their rules no later than December 31, 2022;

 

     (2)  Removing certain language that prohibited private entities from adopting rules imposing conditions or restrictions that rendered energy efficient technologies more than twenty-five percent less efficient;

 

     (3)  Clarifying that private entities shall not adopt rules imposing conditions or restrictions that increase the cost of installation, maintenance, and removal of energy efficient technologies, rather than prohibiting rules that increase the cost of installation, maintenance, and removal by more than fifteen percent;

 

     (4)  Clarifying that a person is authorized to place energy‑efficient technologies on a single-family residential dwelling or townhouse unit only if that person fully owns the dwelling or unit;

 

     (5)  Removing provisions relating to common elements or limited common elements;

 

     (6)  Amending the definition of "energy-efficient technologies"; and

 

     (7)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of 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. 328, 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. 328, H.D. 2.

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

NADINE K. NAKAMURA, Chair