STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3039

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 3021

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 3021, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to expand the scope of the electric bicycle and electric moped rebate program.

More specifically, this measure:

(1) Renames the electric bicycle and electric moped rebate program as the electric mobility rebate program and expands the scope of the program to include additional types of electric mobility devices;

(2) Increases the rebate amount available under the rebate program; and

(3) Clarifies the Department of Transportation's duties regarding the rebate program.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Transportation, Hawaii State Energy Office, Oahu Metropolitan Planning Organization, Blue Planet Foundation, Hawaii Appleseed Center for Law and Economic Justice, Hawaii Bicycling League, Ulupono Initiative, and numerous individuals.

Your Committee finds that providing increased rebates for more types of electric mobility devices in addition to electric bicycles and electric mopeds will help to reduce carbon emissions in the State, thus helping the State to achieve its decarbonization goals.

Your Committee notes that in its written comments on this measure, the Department of Transportation recommended amending this measure by:

(1) Inserting in Section 1 of the measure a provision stating that the measure is recommended by the Governor for immediate passage in accordance with section 9 of article VII of the Constitution of the State of Hawaii;

(2) Deleting the provision authorizing the Department of Transportation to prepare a retailer application and portal; and

(3) Inserting an appropriation of moneys into and out of the electric mobility subaccount of the highway development special fund for fiscal years 2023-2024 and 2024-2025, and clarifying that:

(A) Any unencumbered funds shall lapse on June 30, 2025, and June 30, 2026, respectively; and

(B) The moneys appropriated shall be expended by the Department of Transportation for the electric mobility rebate program.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Correcting the name of the funding mechanism for the electric mobility rebate program;

(2) Clarifying that the Department of Transportation shall provide its annual reports on the rebate program to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of each regular session;

(3) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure; and

(4) Making technical nonsubstantive changes for purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 3021, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3021, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair