STAND. COM. REP. NO. 758

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: H.B. No. 346

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce, to which was referred H.B. No. 346, H.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Require that the design of new state facilities 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 determine the priority order for retrofitting state facilities, based on certain factors including location, expected future demand, estimated costs, other make-ready work, other planned improvements, and other relevant factors;

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

(4) Appropriate funds for the Department of Accounting and General Services to install or contract for the installation of retrofits and electric vehicle charging systems at the selected state facilities.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Transportation, Department of Accounting and General Services, Hawai‘i Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission, Hawai‘i State Energy Office, Hawaiian Electric, Hawaii Automobile Dealers' Association, Blue Planet Foundation, Ulupono Initiative, Big Island Electric Vehicle Association, 350Hawaii.org, and sixteen individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual.

Your Committee finds that electric vehicles reduce residents' reliance on fossil fuels while promoting the State's goal of reducing the emission of greenhouse gases. The cost of designing new facilities to be electric vehicle-charger ready is significantly less than the cost of retrofitting facilities after construction for electric vehicle charging. Therefore, your Committee further finds that the State should lead by example in encouraging the transition to cleaner transportation by designing all of its new facilities to be electric vehicle charger-ready and expanding workplace charging availability in its facilities.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 346, H.D. 1, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce,

____________________________

MARK M. NAKASHIMA, Chair