STAND. COM. REP. NO. 12-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2026

RE: H.B. No. 1619

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection, to which was referred H.B. No. 1619 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Exclude from the definition of "development", as it applies to special management areas, the construction, installation, maintenance, repair, and replacement of an electric vehicle charging system as a minor structure; and

(2) Include the Public Utilities Commission in the development and implementation of plans to meet the long-term goals for zero-emissions transportation in the State.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Transportation; Office of Planning and Sustainable Development; Public Utilities Commission; Climate Protectors Hawaiʻi; Hawaiian Electric; Hawaii Electric Vehicle Association; and one individual.

Your Committee finds that increasing electric vehicle usage and reducing greenhouse gas emissions are vital to achieving the State's clean energy goals. Your Committee further finds that projects involving electric vehicle charging systems are subject to special management area permitting requirements, delaying the rollout of these systems. Your Committee also finds that the Public Utilities Commission is not currently included in the planning process for the State's zero-emissions transportation goals, despite the Commission being directly involved in certain key transportation initiatives, such as managing the Electric Vehicle Charging System Rebate Program. This measure removes special management area permitting requirements for projects involving electric vehicle charging systems and ensures that the Public Utilities Commission is involved in the planning of the State's zero-emissions transportation goals.

Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion.

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. 1619, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1619, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Water & Land.

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

____________________________

NICOLE E. LOWEN, Chair