STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3170

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 1972

H.D. 1

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism and Agriculture and Environment, to which was referred H.B. No. 1972, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ELECTRIC VEHICLE BATTERIES,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish a working group within the Hawaii State Energy Office to make recommendations for the reuse and recycling of electric vehicle batteries.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii State Energy Office; Department of Health; Hawaiʻi Environmental Change Agents Solid Waste Reduction Task Force; Redwood Materials Inc.; Hawaiʻi Reef and Ocean Coalition; Climate Protectors Hawaiʻi; Hawaii Automobile Dealers Association; and Energy and Climate Action Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi Environmental Caucus.

Your Committees received comments on this measure from Radius Recycling, Alliance for Automotive Innovation, and one individual.

Your Committees find that improving the management of end-of-life batteries is a part of achieving the State's resilient clean energy economy. Your Committees further find that electric vehicle (EV) batteries contain critical materials that have the realistic potential to continue serving the energy economy, assuming the EV battery waste stream is managed well in the reverse supply chain. This measure's proposed working group will help the state ensure the integration of end-of-life battery management aligns with its clean energy objectives.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting a representative of the automotive recycling industry to be invited to serve as a member of the Electric Vehicle Battery Recycling and Reuse Working Group; and

(2) Inserting an effective date of January 1, 2060, to encourage further discussion.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism and Agriculture and Environment that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1972, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1972, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism and Agriculture and Environment,

________________________________ MIKE GABBARD, Chair

________________________________ LYNN DECOITE, Chair