STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2929

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2283

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2283, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HAWAII HYDROGEN STRATEGIC PLAN,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to require the Hawaii Natural Energy Institute to study the State's ability to advance hydrogen production from local renewable energy resources and to utilize the study results to develop the Hawaii hydrogen strategic plan.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the University of Hawaii; Servco Pacific, Inc.; Energy and Climate Action Committee, Environmental Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaii; Ulupono Initiative; Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc.; Hawaii Clean Power Alliance; Alliance for Automotive Innovation; Hawaii Gas; Sustainable Energy Hawaii; Hawaii Hydrogen Alliance; and one individual.

Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Hawaii State Energy Office; 350Hawaii; Climate Protectors Hawaii; KauaiEV; and one individual.

Your Committee finds that the hydrogen study and Hawaii hydrogen strategic plan required by this measure will help the State meet its goal of achieving a clean energy economy.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Codifying the measure's substantive provisions in Chapter 304A, Hawaii Revised Statutes, thus assigning a permanent responsibility to the Hawaii Natural Energy Institute, commencing in 2028, to review and update the Hawaii hydrogen strategic plan;

(2) Clarifying that the policies to encourage the production and usage of hydrogen should be consistent with the Hawaii hydrogen strategic plan, as suggested in written comments from the University of Hawaii and Hawaii Natural Energy Institute;

(3) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussions on the measure; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2283, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2283, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair