STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2815

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2720

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Commerce and Consumer Protection and Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2720, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ENERGY,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Allow for new electric vehicle charging stations and certain upgrades having a single port to qualify for a rebate;

(2) Increase flexibility of the Public Utilities Commission to administer the electric vehicle charging station rebate program; and

(3) Allow for marketing and outreach expenses to be included within allowable administration costs of the electric vehicle charging station rebate program.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from Hawaii State Energy Office; Public Utilities Commission; Department of Design and Construction of the City and County of Honolulu; Office of Climate Change, Sustainability and Resiliency of the City and County of Honolulu; Ulupono Initiative; Big Island Electric Vehicle Association; Hawaiian Electric Company; Hawaii Electric Vehicle Association; Alliance for Automotive Innovation; Kaua‘i Island Utility Cooperative; Blue Planet Foundation; 350Hawaii.org; and five individuals. Your Committees received comments on this measure from Hawai‘i Energy and Practical Policy Institute of Hawaii.

Your Committees find that the decarbonization of the ground transportation sector is essential to achieving a net-negative carbon economy as soon as practicable, but no later than Hawaii's 2045 energy goals. One foundational strategy to decarbonize the transportation sector is the adoption of zero-emission vehicles, such as electric vehicles; however, one significant barrier to the adoption of zero-emission vehicles is fueling stations. Currently, the Electric Vehicle Charging Station Rebate Program serves as a critical catalyst for infrastructure development within the State to provide eighty-nine stations across the State, which account for one-quarter of the State's total public charging stations. However, continued support and promotion of zero-emission transportation and infrastructure is critical to the growth of the EVCS Rebate Program and a net-zero carbon economy. As the lack of enough fueling stations remains as the most significant barrier to the adoption of zero-emission vehicles, providing an updated program for electric vehicle charging station rebates allows the State to achieve its net-negative carbon economy in compliance with 2045 energy goals.

Your Committees have amended this measure by 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 Commerce and Consumer Protection and Ways and Means that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2720, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2720, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Commerce and Consumer Protection and Ways and Means,

________________________________ DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair

________________________________ ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair