STAND. COM. REP. NO.  962

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2015

 

RE:   S.B. No. 1096

      S.D. 1

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection, to which was referred S.B. No. 1096, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ON-BILL PROGRAMS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to ensure that electric utilities serving as billing and collections agents in a purely "pass-through" capacity for any on-bill financing or repayment program are exempt from various state or county taxes and state laws regulating financial institutions, escrow depositories, and collection agencies.

 

     The Department of Taxation; Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; Blue Planet Foundation; Hawaiian Electric Company; Hawaii Electric Light Company; Maui Electric Company; Hawaii Solar Energy Association; and two concerned individuals supported the measure.  The Public Utilities Commission supported the measure with amendments.  The Tax Foundation of Hawaii submitted comments.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by broadening the definitions of "on-bill obligation" and "on-bill program" to also include the acquisition of renewable energy, energy efficiency, or energy conservation systems.  Other technical, nonsubstantive amendments were made for clarity, style, and consistency.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1096, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1096, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

CHRIS LEE, Chair