STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2900

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 370

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 Transportation and Culture and the Arts and Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism, to which was referred S.B. No. 370 entitled:

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

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to require owners of multiple parking facilities within any county of the State who aggregate the required parking spaces for electric vehicles to aggregate the spaces within that same county.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaiʻi State Energy Office, Hawaiian Electric, Hawaii Electric Vehicle Association, 350Hawaii.org, and Ulupono Initiative.

Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Retail Merchants of Hawaii.

Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Disability and Communication Access Board.

Your Committees find that as the number of electric vehicles in Hawaii rises, the buildout of adequate electric vehicle infrastructure, including publicly accessible charging stations, is critical. Your Committees further find that it is necessary to clarify that the aggregation of electric vehicle charging systems by an owner of multiple parking facilities should remain within the same county to prevent required electric vehicle charging systems from being aggregated from one county to another, ensuring a more even adoption of electric vehicle infrastructure for each county. This measure will ensure the equitable installation of electric vehicle charging stations to neighbor islands that lack publicly available electric vehicle infrastructure.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Removing language that would have required owners of multiple parking facilities within any county of the State who aggregate the required spaces for electric vehicles to aggregate the spaces within that same county;

(2) Repealing language that allows owners of multiple parking facilities to designate and electrify fewer parking spaces than required in one or more of their own properties if the requirements on all of their owned properties was met;

(3) Inserting language to authorize the counties to adopt ordinances regulating electric vehicle charging systems, including maintenance requirements, for places of public accommodation with few than one hundred parking spaces available for use by the general public;

(4) Inserting language to task the Clean Ground Transportation Working Group with developing plans for electric vehicle charging systems on each neighbor island and a permitting process for electric vehicle charging systems, to be implemented by the appropriate permitting entities;

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

(6) 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 Transportation and Culture and the Arts and Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 370, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 370, S.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Transportation and Culture and the Arts and Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism,

________________________________ LYNN DECOITE, Chair

________________________________ CHRIS LEE, Chair