STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2690

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 3021

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Transportation and Culture and the Arts, to which was referred S.B. No. 3021 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to rename and expand the scope of the Electric Bicycle and Electric Moped Rebate Program to the Electric Mobility Rebate Program, and increase the potential rebate amount.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Transportation, Hawaiʻi State Energy Office, Hawaiʻi Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission, Oahu Metropolitan Planning Organization, 350 Hawaiʻi, Blue Planet Foundation, Hawaiʻi Bicycling League, Ulupono Initiative, and seven individuals.

Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Moped Doctors and one individual.

Your Committee finds that the single greatest recent factor contributing to the increasing cost of living in Hawaii is the rising cost of transportation. The legislature further finds that meeting the State's lower cost of living and clean energy goals necessitates the rapid transition to electric vehicles that utilize local, renewable energy sources. Therefore, this measure will create cheaper transit options by providing increased rebates for electric bicycles, electric mopeds, and other electric mobility devices.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Adding language to define adaptive electric bicycles and qualifying them for the full rebate;

(2) Increasing the cap on total rebates the Department of Transportation may issue from $700,000 to $2,000,000;

(3) Repealing language that would have required signatures at the time of sale;

(4) Deleting language that would have required the Department of Transportation to prepare a retailer application and portal to provide rebates directly at the point of sale;

(5) Adding language to authorize the Department of Transportation to prepare a retailer application and portal to provide rebates at the point of sale;

(6) Clarifying that the Department of Transportation may contract with third-party administrators for the program, who are authorized to pay the rebates;

(7) Adding language to authorize expenditure to the Department of Transportation;

(8) Amending section 1 to reflect its amended purpose; and

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

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

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Transportation and Culture and the Arts,

________________________________

CHRIS LEE, Chair