HB2452 HSCR188-02

 

STAND. COM. REP. NO.188-02

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2002

RE: H.B. No. 2452

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2002

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Transportation and Energy and Environmental Protection, to which was referred H.B. No. 2452 entitled:

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

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to encourage the use of electric vehicles by continuing to exempt them from various requirements applicable to conventional, internal combustion engine-powered vehicles until June 30, 2005.

The Hawaiian Electric Company, the Hawaiian Electric Light Company, and Maui Electric Company submitted testimony in support of this measure. The Gas Company submitted testimony in support of the intent of the bill but was concerned that the bill only provided incentives to one type of alternative fuel vehicle when many types of alternative fuel vehicles exist. The High Technology Development Corporation offered comments on this measure.

Act 290, Session Laws of Hawaii (SLH) 1997, established incentives for the purchase and use of electric vehicles as an alternative to internal combustion engine vehicles. These incentives were given in an attempt to promote the use of alternative fuel vehicles, improve energy efficiency in transportation products, reduce the State's dependence on imported oil, reduce air pollution, and protect the environment. Unfortunately, technological advances in the manufacture of electric vehicles have been slow, in large part due to production costs and problems associated with charging these vehicles, and thus have made their availability limited to electric vehicles used in neighborhoods. However, it is anticipated that the availability of these vehicles will increase due to both federal and state mandates requiring the use of alternative fuel vehicles. Therefore, your Committees find that the extension of these incentives beyond the June 30, 2002 deadline is necessary to promote the use of alternative fuel vehicles.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Transportation and Energy and Environmental Protection that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2452 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Transportation and Energy and Environmental Protection,

 

____________________________ HERMINA M. MORITA, Chair		____________________________ JOSEPH M. SOUKI, Chair