STAND. COM. REP. NO. 248-20

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2020

RE: H.B. No. 2699

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Energy & Environmental Protection and Transportation, to which was referred H.B. No. 2699 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE ENVIRONMENT,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish clean ground transportation goals for state agencies and all light-duty motor vehicles in the State.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii State Energy Office, Life of the Land, Imua Alliance, Blue Planet, Elemental Excelerator, Ulupono Initiative, 350Hawaii.org, Surfrider Oahu, Mission Zero Hawaii, and three individuals. Your Committees received comments on this measure from the State Procurement Office, Hawaii Climate Change Mitigation & Adaption Commission, Tesla, Hawaiian Electric, Big Island Electric Vehicle Association, Hawaii Electric Vehicle Association, and Alliance for Automotive Innovation.

Your Committees find that it is important to begin the transition to one hundred percent clean ground transportation in the State by establishing goals for the reduction and ultimate elimination of the use of fossil fuels. Your Committees recognize the challenges of transitioning medium- and heavy-duty vehicles and the resultant impacts on the feasibility of completely eliminating the use of fossil fuels.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Clarifying that the procurement policy for agencies purchasing or leasing medium- and heavy-duty vehicles shall:

(A) Seek to reduce dependence on petroleum-based fuels that meet the needs of the agency where feasible and cost-effective; and

(B) Align the priorities for the selection of vehicles for purchase and lease with those priorities set forth in section 103D-412(b), Hawaii Revised Statutes;

(2) Moving the clean ground transportation goals from chapter 103D to chapter 225P, Hawaii Revised Statutes;

(3) Changing its effective date to July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

(4) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Energy & Environmental Protection and Transportation that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2699, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2699, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Labor & Public Employment.

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

____________________________ HENRY J.C. AQUINO, Chair

____________________________ NICOLE E. LOWEN, Chair