STAND. COM. REP. NO. 251
Honolulu, Hawaii
RE: S.B. No. 932
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 Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism, to which was referred S.B. No. 932 entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND TOURISM,"
begs leave to report as follows:
The purpose and intent of this measure is to:
(1) Establish the clean energy and energy efficiency revolving loan fund;
(2) Repeal the building energy efficiency revolving loan fund;
(3) Authorize monies in the green infrastructure special fund to be used to finance the option to purchase solar systems and other clean energy equipment, including the purchase or lease of electric vehicles;
(4) Appropriate funds out of the clean energy and energy efficiency revolving loan fund; and
(5) Replace the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism with the Hawaii Green Infrastructure Authority as the administering agency for the motion picture, digital media, and film production income tax credit (motion picture income tax credit).
Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from Hawaii State Energy Office, Hawaii Green Infrastructure Authority, and Climate Protectors Coalition. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism; Department of Budget and Finance; Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs; Public Utilities Commission; and Tax Foundation of Hawaii.
Your Committee finds that it is important to strengthen the Hawaii green infrastructure authority's ability to support investment in clean energy technology, including electric vehicles and electric charging vehicle systems and infrastructure.
Your Committee also finds that while financial expertise is important in the administration of the motion picture income tax credit, sufficient industry experience is also necessary in order to pass on the reasonableness of production costs, to negotiate with industry members regarding qualified Hawaii promotions, efforts to hire local talent and crew, and competition from other jurisdictions seeking to land production work.
Your Committee heard the testimony from the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism that it is currently taking steps to address both the financial expertise and industry knowledge in the administration of the tax credit. Therefore, your Committee believes it is unnecessary, at this time, to replace the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism with the Hawaii Green Infrastructure Authority as the administering agency for the income tax credit.
Your
Committee has amended this measure by:
(1) Removing
part II pertaining to the administration of the motion picture income tax
credit; and
(2) Making
a technical, nonsubstantive amendment for the purposes of clarity and
consistency.
As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 932, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 932, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committees on Judiciary and Ways and Means.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism,
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________________________________ GLENN WAKAI, Chair |
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