STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2819

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2999

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2999 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO A CLEAN FUEL STANDARD,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to require the Department of Transportation to adopt rules by January 1, 2028, establishing a clean fuel standard for alternative fuels in the State.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission, Low Carbon Fuels Coalition, Neste, Clean Energy, Pump Cleaner Fuels Hawaii, Rivian, and two individuals.

Your Committee received comments on this measure from Island Energy Services and Par Hawaii.

Your Committee finds that developing a clean fuel standard for alternative fuels is central to reducing Hawaii's lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions while simultaneously protecting the State's economic competitiveness, public health, and environment. Your Committee believes that by creating a clean-fuel standard that rewards environmental performance, this measure will incentivize investment and job creation across the agriculture, transportation, and waste management industries.

Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2999, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2999, S.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

________________________________

DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair