STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2247

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2141

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 Public Safety and Intergovernmental and Military Affairs and Water and Land, to which was referred S.B. No. 2141 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ELECTRIC GRID RESILIENCY,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Establish a Homeland Security and Resiliency Council to assess the resilience of the State's electric grid and other critical infrastructure to natural disasters and other emergencies and make recommendations;

(2) Require the Council to report to the Legislature; and

(3) Make an appropriation.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Law Enforcement and Hawaiʻi Gas.

Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Division of Consumer Advocacy of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Hawaii State Energy Office, and Hawaiian Electric.

Your Committees find that the August 2023 Maui wildfire was the worst natural disaster in the history of Hawaii, and the worst wildfire in the United States within the last century. Your Committees find that as the effects of climate change become more pronounced and the rate of severe fires increases, it is imperative that the State have electrical grids that can withstand these extreme events. This measure will ensure the State's critical infrastructure is prepared to withstand disasters by establishing a council to provide recommendations for electric grid and other infrastructure resiliency.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Replacing the Director of Homeland Security with the Director of Law Enforcement as a member of the Homeland Security and Resiliency Council;

(2) Adding the following members to the Homeland Security and Resiliency Council:

(A) The Executive Director of the Division of Consumer Advocacy of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs;

(B) A representative from the Hawaii State Energy Office; and

(C) Representatives from each gas utility company operating in the State;

(3) Amending section 1 to update legislative findings;

(4) Inserting an effective date of January 1, 2042, to encourage further discussion; and

(5) 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 Public Safety and Intergovernmental and Military Affairs and Water and Land that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2141, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2141, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committees on Commerce and Consumer Protection and Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Public Safety and Intergovernmental and Military Affairs and Water and Land,

________________________________ LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair

________________________________ GLENN WAKAI, Chair