HCR47 HD1

WHEREAS, Act 15, Session Laws of Hawaii 2018, established a zero emissions clean economy target for the State to sequester more atmospheric carbon and greenhouse gases than emitted by no later than 2045; and

WHEREAS, in 2021, Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 44, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, made Hawaii the first state in the nation to declare a climate emergency and called for a statewide commitment to a decarbonized economy; and

WHEREAS, in 2017, the mayors of each county of the State pledged to transition all ground transportation away from fossil fuels; and

WHEREAS, Act 142, Session Laws of Hawaii 2019, established the electric vehicle charging system rebate program, and Act 75, Session Laws of Hawaii 2021, increased and established sustained funding for this rebate program via the barrel tax; and

WHEREAS, there are currently over eighteen thousand electric vehicles registered in the State, increasing the demand for charging infrastructure as this number continues to grow; and

WHEREAS, it is imperative that the option to own an electric vehicle be available to everyone, including low- and moderate-income families who often live in smaller units and condominiums; and

WHEREAS, the lack of adequate electric vehicle charging infrastructure, especially in multi-unit dwellings, is a major barrier to the adoption of electric vehicles; and

WHEREAS, Act 186, Session Laws of Hawaii 2010, provides that condominium associations, homeowners' associations, community associations, and other types of private entities cannot prevent owners from installing an electric vehicle charging system in their designated parking stall; and

WHEREAS, despite its legal permissibility, there are numerous logistical challenges involved with installing single-user and shared-stall chargers, including high costs, the lack of electric infrastructure capacity, parking facility limitations, maintenance costs, questions about metering, and questions about managing a charging system as a shared amenity; and

WHEREAS, among other challenges, associations of multi-family residential dwellings or townhouse units do not have electric vehicle charging system installation expertise, meet infrequently, and often lack quorum, making it impractical for associations to unilaterally develop installation guidelines without guidance from government entities; and

WHEREAS, Act 164, Session Laws of Hawaii 2015, established a working group that recommended financial incentives for electric vehicle charging system installations, that new buildings be constructed with electric vehicle-ready parking, and the deployment of submetering; and

WHEREAS, many questions related to electric vehicle charging system installations have remained unanswered; and

WHEREAS, since 2015, there have been substantial changes to the market, state of the technology, and number of individuals or entities that have actually undertaken efforts to install electric vehicle charging systems in multi-unit dwellings; and

WHEREAS, more relevant and direct knowledge of electric vehicle charging system installations in multi-unit dwellings exists beyond the working group's initial recommendations; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Thirty-first Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2022, the Senate concurring, that the Hawaii State Energy Office is requested to convene a working group to examine issues and barriers to the installation of electric vehicle charging systems in multi-unit dwellings and make recommendations regarding changes to statutes and rules or other guidance to help clarify and facilitate the installation of electric vehicle charging systems in multi-unit dwellings; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the working group is requested to examine:

(1) Barriers to the installation of electric vehicle charging systems at multi-unit dwellings and the underlying issues that give rise to these barriers;

(2) Whether changes to state statutes and rules or other guidance could provide solutions and unburden associations tasked with advising owners on technical matters on which they lack expertise;

(3) Whether guidelines should be established for reasonable technical solutions instead of leaving associations to unilaterally determine installation practices pursuant to section 196-7.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, and, if so, where those guidelines should be identified in statute;

(4) A range of technical solutions, including cost recovery and capacity management;

(5) Management recommendations for multiple owners who wish to install a shared-use charging system as a shared amenity; and

(6) Other issues deemed relevant and necessary; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the members of the working group include the following:

(1) A representative from the Hawaii State Energy Office;

(2) The Director of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, or the Director's designee;

(3) A representative of the Public Benefits Fee Administrator;

(4) A representative from the City and County of Honolulu's Department of Planning and Permitting;

(5) An individual who sits on the board of directors of an association of apartment owners appointed by the Chief Energy Officer of the Hawaii State Energy Office;

(6) A representative from the Community Associations Institute Hawaii Chapter;

(7) A representative from the electric vehicle charging system industry;

(8) A representative from a non-profit organization that works on electrification of transportation policy;

(9) A representative from Hawaiian Electric Company;

(10) A representative from the Kauai Island Utility Cooperative; and

(11) Any additional members invited by the convenor of the working group; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the President of the Senate, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Director of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Chief Energy Officer of the Hawaii State Energy Office, Director of the City and County of Honolulu's Department of Planning and Permitting, Executive Director of Hawaii Energy, President of the Community Associations Institute Hawaii Chapter, President and Chief Executive Officer of Hawaiian Electric Company, and Chairperson of the Kauai Island Utility Cooperative Board of Directors.

Report Title:

Hawaii State Energy Office; Electric Vehicle Charging Systems; Multi-unit Dwellings; Working Group

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.C.R. NO.	47
THIRTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2022		H.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII