STAND. COM. REP. NO. 535

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 459

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism, to which was referred S.B. No. 459 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HYDROGEN FUELING SYSTEM SUBACCOUNT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate funds from the Hydrogen Fueling System Subaccount within the Public Utilities Commission Special Fund for the Zero-Emission Vehicle Fueling System Rebate Program.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Public Utilities Commission and Servco Pacific, Inc.

Your Committee finds that the demand for alternative forms of refueling vehicles will continue to grow to meet the State's renewable energy goals. However, a significant barrier to the adoption of zero-emission vehicles is access to fueling stations. The Zero Emission Vehicle Fueling System Rebate Program was established in 2022 and requires a direct appropriation for the Public Utilities Commission to expend the barrel tax funds deposited into the Hydrogen Fueling System Subaccount. This measure is accordingly necessary to implement the Rebate Program and further promote the delivery of clean hydrogen to help the State meet its renewable energy goals.

Your Committee has amended this measure by deleting the appropriation of $1,000,000 and inserting a blank amount.

Should your Committees on Ways and Means and Commerce and Consumer Protection choose to deliberate on this measure, your Committee respectfully requests that they consider inserting an appropriation amount of $1,000,000.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 459, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 459, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committees on Ways and Means and Commerce and Consumer Protection.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism,

________________________________

LYNN DECOITE, Chair