STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3282

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.B. No. 1829

       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 Government Operations and Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism, to which was referred H.B. No. 1829, H.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

 

     (1)  Require, beginning July 1, 2024, the design of all new state building construction where parking is included to provide that at least twenty-five percent of parking stalls be electric vehicle charger-ready;

 

     (2)  Require the Hawaii State Energy Office, in consultation with the Department of Accounting and General Services and Department of Transportation, to survey and prioritize retrofitting certain state facilities that include parking to include electric vehicle charging infrastructure;

 

     (3)  Establish a goal of the State to retrofit state facilities to be electric vehicle charger-ready; and

 

     (4)  Appropriate an unspecified amount of funds to the Department of Accounting and General Services to conduct detailed cost assessments to determine the cost to install, or contract for the installation of, retrofits and electric vehicle charging systems at certain state facilities.

 

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaiʻi State Energy Office, Department of Accounting and General Services, Hawaiʻi Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission, Hawaiian Electric, Ulupono Initiative, Blue Planet, Alliance for Automotive Innovation, Oahu Metropolitan Planning Organization, Hawaii Chapter of 350.org, Climate Protectors Hawaiʻi, Hawaii Electric Vehicle Association, Kauai Climate ACTION Coalition, and ten individuals.

 

     Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from two individuals.

 

     Your Committees find that there is a continuous need for a network of charging infrastructure to support the growing number of electric vehicles in the State.  Your Committees further find that the State should lead by example by expanding workplace charging availability in state facilities.  This measure supports increasing electric vehicle use, which reduces carbon emissions from ground transportation and helps to achieve the State's goals of reducing carbon emissions to fifty percent by 2030 and establishing a net-negative carbon economy by 2045.

 

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Removing the Department of Transportation from the list of agencies that the Hawaii State Energy Office is required to consult with to survey and prioritize retrofitting certain state facilities that include parking to include electric vehicle charging infrastructure;

 

     (2)  Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2491, to encourage further discussion; and

 

     (3)  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 Government Operations and Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1829, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1829, 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 Government Operations and Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism,

 

________________________________

LYNN DECOITE, Chair

 

________________________________

ANGUS L.K. MCKELVEY, Chair