STAND. COM. REP. NO. 507

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 756

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Transportation, to which was referred S.B. No. 756 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Authorize each county to adopt ordinances to make reasonable efforts to maintain electric vehicle (EV) charging stations in working order;

(2) Require that any new EV charging station be at least a level 2 charging station; and

(3) Provide that parking enforcement officers may enter private property to enforce EV parking stall violations.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii State Energy Office, one member of the Maui County Council, Hawaiian Electric Company, Ulupono Initiative, Hawaii Electric Vehicle Association, Kauai Electric Vehicle Association, Tesla, Blue Planet Foundation, and five individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Retail Merchants of Hawaii.

Your Committee finds that the global automobile market is transitioning to EVs. One obstacle to this transition is the lack of infrastructure needed to charge the influx of EVs. As more EVs and hybrid vehicles are brought into the State, it is of utmost importance to maintain a robust network of EV charging stations that are in good working order and repair. This measure will allow counties to adopt ordinances to effectuate that end.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Requiring owners of parking structures and lots with one hundred or more parking stalls to provide at least five parking stalls exclusively equipped with EV charging systems by 2025;

(2) Requiring owners of parking structures and lots with one hundred or more parking stalls to provide at least ten parking stalls exclusively equipped with EV charging systems by 2030;

(3) Providing that owners of parking structures or lots may charge a reasonable fee for the use of EV charging stations; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Transportation that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 756, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 756, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Transportation,

________________________________

CHRIS LEE, Chair