STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3340

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 1801

H.D. 1

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism and Government Operations, to which was referred H.B. No. 1801, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ENERGY EFFICIENCY,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Require and establish deadlines for state facilities, except smaller facilities, to implement cost-effective energy efficiency measures;

(2) Direct the Hawaii State Energy Office to collect utility bill and energy usage data for state-owned buildings and to make the data publicly available;

(3) Establish a goal for the State to achieve at least a thirty percent reduction in the electricity consumption of state facilities; and

(4) Beginning July 1, 2023, require, where feasible and cost-effective, the design of all new state building construction to maximize energy and water efficiency, maximize energy generation potential, and use building materials that reduce the carbon footprint of the project.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii State Energy Office; Hawaii Electric Company, Inc.; Zero Waste Hawaii Island; Kauai Climate Action Coalition; Climate Protectors Hawai‘i; Blue Planet Foundation; Ulupono Initiative; 350Hawaii.org; Energy and Climate Action Committee of the Environmental Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i; Kauai Women's Caucus; Elemental Excelerator; and thirty individuals. Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual. Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Accounting and General Services, Department of Transportation, and Hawai‘i Energy.

Your Committees find that this measure supports green building management and the sustainable development and operations of state-owned buildings and facilities. According to testimony during the joint hearing, this measure will help to insulate the State from the volatility of oil prices and the anticipated increase in electric bills of ten percent for Oahu and twenty percent for Maui County and Hawaii County. Your Committees note that there are certain state buildings, such as hospitals and prisons, where a thirty percent reduction in electricity consumption would disrupt the provision of government services.

Accordingly, your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Removing language that establishes a goal for the State to achieve at least thirty percent reduction in the electricity consumption of state facilities; and

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

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism and Government Operations that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1801, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1801, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism and Government Operations,

________________________________ SHARON MORIWAKI, Chair

________________________________ GLENN WAKAI, Chair