STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2678

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2803

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 Transportation and Government Operations, to which was referred S.B. No. 2803 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CLIMATE CHANGE,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to require all state, county, and private bus operators to upgrade to zero emission buses by 2035.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Transportation, Department of Education, Hawaiian Electric Company, Ulupono Initiative, Hawaii Hydrogen Alliance, Americans for Democratic Action Hawaii, 350 Hawaii, Roberts Hawaii, and Climate Protectors Hawai‘i. Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Hawaii Transportation Association, Pacific Biodiesel Technologies, and one individual. Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Public Utilities Commission, Hawaii State Energy Office, State Procurement Office, Department of Transportation Services of the City and County of Honolulu, and the United States Hydrogen Alliance.

Your Committees find that unabated greenhouse gas emissions, and the resulting climate change and sea level rise present an urgent and existential threat to citizens of the State. The State has established a target date of 2045, to become carbon negative, but these efforts must be accelerated. This measure requires state, county, and private bus operators to upgrade to zero emission buses.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Extending the goal of only zero emission buses to 2045;

(2) Inserting an effective date of January 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

(3) 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 Transportation and Government Operations that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2803, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2803, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committees on Commerce and Consumer Protection and Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Transportation and Government Operations,

________________________________ SHARON MORIWAKI, Chair

________________________________ CHRIS LEE, Chair