STAND. COM. REP. NO.  71

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2009

RE:   H.B. No. 1464

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Energy & Environmental Protection and Housing, to which was referred H.B. No. 1464 entitled:

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

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to clarify provisions of Act 204, Session Laws of Hawaii 2008 by:

     (1)  Specifying that building permits for new single-family         dwellings without a solar water heater system will only       be issued if a variance is accepted by the Energy            Resources Coordinator (Coordinator);

     (2)  Requiring the Coordinator to publicize all variance            applications and the resulting dispositions;

     (3)  Amending the provisions for claiming a State tax credit;      and

     (4)  Specifying that the Public Utilities Commission may            contract with the Public Benefits Fee Administrator to         develop standards for solar water heater systems.

     The Gas Company and Sierra Club-Hawaii Chapter, testified in support of this bill.  The Department of Taxation, Hawaiian Electric Company, Hawaii Electric Light Company, and Maui Electric Company supported the intent of the measure.  The Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, Tax Foundation of Hawaii, Hawaii Solar Energy Association, and Blue Planet Foundation provided comments.

     Upon consideration, your Committees have amended this bill by:

     (1)  Including a section that allows individual counties to         enact more aggressive ordinances; and

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

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Energy & Environmental Protection and Housing that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1464, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1464, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

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

____________________________ RIDA CABANILLA, Chair

____________________________ HERMINA MORITA, Chair