STAND. COM. REP. NO. 560

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: H.B. No. 239

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Energy & Environmental Protection and Economic Development, to which was referred H.B. No. 239 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CLEAN ENERGY,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Require and appropriate funds for the Clean Energy Initiative Program to design, implement, and administer a plan to increase jobs aligned with the State's transition to a clean energy economy and strategies for evaluating and supporting a transition to a clean energy economy that advances social equity; and

(2) Authorize the use of the Energy Security Special Fund to create jobs that advance the State's goals of achieving greater energy security and adapting to climate change, expand workforce development and training programs for workers transitioning to a clean energy economy, and strengthen social equity in the adoption of clean energy technology.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the University of Hawai‘i System, Hawai‘i Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission, Hawaii State Energy Office, Hawaii State Youth Commission, Rainbow Family 808, Democratic Party of Hawai‘i Labor Caucus, IATSE Local 665, Environmental Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, Climate Protectors Hawaii, Democratic Party of Hawai‘i Education Caucus, Imua Alliance, Blue Planet Foundation, 350Hawaii.org, Sierra Club of Hawai‘i, and four individuals. Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual.

Your Committees find that in response to the growing threat of climate change, the State has set standards and launched initiatives to expand reliance on sustainable and efficient energy, including setting a statewide benchmark of generating one hundred percent of the State's electricity through renewable resources by 2045 and establishing a goal for the statewide greenhouse gas emissions limit to be at least fifty percent below 2005 levels by 2030. Additionally, meeting these initiatives will require a well-trained workforce in the clean and renewable energy industries. Therefore, this measure supports the advancement of the State's goals of achieving greater energy security and adapting to climate change, while developing a socially equitable response to strengthen climate resilience.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the effective date to June 30, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

(2) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Energy & Environmental Protection and Economic Development that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 239, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 239, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Energy & Environmental Protection and Economic Development,

____________________________ DANIEL HOLT, Chair

____________________________ NICOLE E. LOWEN, Chair