STAND. COM. REP. NO. 63-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: H.B. No. 2616

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection, to which was referred H.B. No. 2616 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ELECTRIC VEHICLES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to create a funding program that incentivizes electric vehicle charging systems and infrastructure development, increase the amount of petroleum tax to be deposited into the Electric Vehicle Charging System Subaccount, and allow funds from the Electric Vehicle Charging System Subaccount to be expended for the funding program.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaiʻi Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission; Hawaii State Energy Office; Ulupono Initiative; Blue Planet Foundation; Climate Protectors Hawaiʻi; 350Hawaii.org; Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi; Hawaiian Electric; Hawaiʻi Energy; Alliance for Automotive Innovation; NAIOP Hawaii; and one individual. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs; Department of the Attorney General; Public Utilities Commission; and Tax Foundation of Hawaii.

Your Committee finds that the use of fossil fuels is the State's primary contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. Your Committee further finds that electric vehicles provide a viable alternative to vehicles that run on fossil fuels; however, existing electric vehicle charging infrastructure is insufficient to meet the State's needs. This measure addresses this need by creating a funding program that incentivizes the development of electric vehicle charging systems and infrastructure and allowing funds from the Electric Vehicle Charging System Subaccount to be expended for the funding program.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

(2) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

Your Committee recognizes that this measure will need to include an appropriation out of the Electric Vehicle Charging System Subaccount and more details about the funding program, such as how funding would be awarded and in what amounts, and notes that some of these details require an estimate of the revenue that would be generated by the increase in state environmental response, energy, and food security tax proposed by this measure.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2616, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2616, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection,

____________________________

NICOLE E. LOWEN, Chair