STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2858

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2570

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. 2570, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ZERO EMISSION VEHICLE FUELING REBATES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to promote the use of zero-emission vehicles.

More specifically, this measure:

(1) Renames Hawaii's Electric Vehicle Charging System Rebate Program to the Zero-Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Rebate Program;

(2) Makes the installation and upgrade of hydrogen refueling stations eligible for participation in the Zero-Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Rebate Program;

(3) Establishes the rebate amount for the installation or upgrade of a hydrogen refueling station at $200,000;

(4) Limits the rebate to hydrogen refueling stations that do not store and dispense hydrogen fuel produced using fossil fuels; and

(5) Increases the spending cap of the Zero-Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Rebate Program from $500,000 to $700,000 per fiscal year.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Hawaii State Energy Office, Alliance for Automotive Innovation, Hawaii Automobile Dealers Association, Hawaii Hydrogen Alliance, Servco Pacific, Ulupono Initiative, and one individual.

Your Committee received written comments in opposition to this measure from 350Hawaii, Aloha Charge, Big Island Electric Vehicle Association, Climate Protectors Hawaii, Hawaii Electric Vehicle Association, KauaiEV, Maui Nui EV, and eighteen individuals.

Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Public Utilities Commission and Hawaii Energy.

Your Committee finds that limited access to fueling stations is a significant barrier to the use of zero-emission vehicles. Your Committee also finds that broadening the scope of the existing Electric Vehicle Charging System Rebate Program to explicitly incorporate hydrogen refueling stations would serve to further the State's energy policy objectives.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

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

(2) Making technical nonsubstantive amendments 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. 2570, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2570, 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