STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2867

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 3282

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. 3282, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ENERGY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to replace the Hawaii State Energy Office with the Energy Division of the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism.

More specifically, this measure:

(1) Renames the Hawaii State Energy Office as the Energy Division and repeals its administrative attachment to the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism provision;

(2) Transfers the Energy Division to the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism;

(3) Clarifies the powers and duties of the Energy Division;

(4) Renames the Chief Energy Officer of the Hawaii State Energy Office as the Chief Energy Administrator of the Energy Division;

(5) Amends the eligibility requirements for, and the duties of, the Chief Energy Administrator; and

(6) Appropriates moneys for the Energy Division.

Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Hawaii State Energy Office.

Your Committee finds that by amending the powers and duties of the Chief Energy Administrator and the Energy Division of the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, this measure will help the State to more efficiently and effectively achieve its clean power generation goals.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Clarifying that the Chief Energy Administrator and Energy Division are required to advocate only for the State's energy goals, rather than the State's energy and decarbonization goals;

(2) Changing the appropriation from $12,105,644 to $2,664,394; and

(3) 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. 3282, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3282, 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