CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 134

Honolulu, Hawaii

                 , 2015

RE:    S.B. No. 1050

       S.D. 2

       H.D. 3

       C.D. 1

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

Madam and Sir:

     Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 1050, S.D. 2, H.D. 3, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ENERGY,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

     The purpose of this measure is to:

     (1)  Require each electric utility in the State to file a proposed community-based renewable energy tariff or tariffs with the Public Utilities Commission by October 1, 2015;

     (2)  Require the Public Utilities Commission to establish a community-based renewable energy tariff or tariffs if the tariff or tariffs are in the public interest; and

     (3)  Authorize ratepayer participation in eligible community-based renewable energy projects.

     Your Committee on Conference finds that localized renewable energy generation has become increasingly attainable for all types of customers over the past several years.  However, despite the rise in statewide residential solar energy use, many individuals and businesses are currently unable to directly participate in renewable energy because of various impediments.  Implementation of this measure will create a community-based renewable energy tariff structure that will increase access to renewable energy generation.

     Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Clarifying the requirement that the Public Utilities Commission establish a community-based renewable energy tariff or tariffs pursuant to section 269-16, Hawaii Revised Statutes;

     (2)  Inserting an effective date of upon approval; and

     (3)  Making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1050, S.D. 2, H.D. 3, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1050, S.D. 2, H.D. 3, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

____________________________ CHRIS LEE, Co-Chair	____________________________ MIKE GABBARD, Chair
____________________________ JUSTIN H. WOODSON, Co-Chair	____________________________ ROSALYN H. BAKER, Co-Chair
____________________________ SCOTT Y. NISHIMOTO, Co-Chair	____________________________ JILL N. TOKUDA, Co-Chair