STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3703
Honolulu, Hawaii
RE: S.C.R. No. 48
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 Commerce and Consumer Protection and Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 48 entitled:
"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION TO CONSIDER EFFORTS TO MITIGATE HIGH ENERGY BURDENS FOR LOW- AND MODERATE-INCOME CUSTOMERS AND INVESTIGATE HOW TO INTEGRATE CONSIDERATIONS OF ENERGY EQUITY AND JUSTICE ACROSS ITS WORK,"
beg leave to report as follows:
The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the Public Utilities Commission to consider efforts to mitigate high energy burdens for low- and moderate-income customers and investigate how to integrate considerations of energy equity and justice across its work.
Your Committees find that low-income households spend a larger percentage of their income on home energy costs, making them vulnerable to energy insecurity. While some households may receive utility bill payment assistance through certain federal programs, these programs are only temporary and can still leave many low- and moderate-income households susceptible to disconnection. Your Committees further find that certain communities, especially those in economically-challenged areas, have shouldered the burden of hosting large renewable energy projects. Additionally, due to Hawaii's low homeownership rate, vulnerable households do not have the same abilities as more affluent customers to take advantage of certain programs and technologies.
Your Committees acknowledge the past and ongoing work of the Public Utilities Commission to offset burdens placed on low- and moderate-income communities and to innovate programs to reduce costs to customers. Accordingly, this measure is not intended to duplicate, but rather to continue these efforts and focus the need for integration of energy equity and justice in the ongoing and future work of the Public Utilities Commission to further support and develop reasonable measures to lessen the burden of energy costs on low- and moderate-income customer groups.
Your Committees have amended this measure by:
(1) Adding findings acknowledging the past and ongoing work of the Public Utilities Commission, specifically Docket No. 2019-0323, which addresses rate design for all customers, and provides proposed approaches to address consideration for relief for low- and moderate-income customers;
(2) Adding findings clarifying that current circumstances necessitate an explicit focus on energy and climate justice and energy equity in the ongoing and future work of the Public Utilities Commission to ensure that the benefits and burdens of energy infrastructure development in the face of climate change are equitably distributed and that relief options are available for low- and moderate-income customers;
(3) Requesting the Public Utilities Commission to consult with the Division of Consumer Advocacy to obtain any necessary input in furtherance of the items requested to be examined by this measure;
(4) Adding the Executive Director of the Division of Consumer Advocacy as a recipient of a certified copy of this measure;
(5) Amending its title to reflect its amended purpose; and
(6) 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 Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 48, as amended herein, and recommend its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 48, S.D. 1.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Commerce and Consumer Protection and Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism,
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________________________________ GLENN WAKAI, Chair |
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________________________________ ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair |
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