Hawaii - 2017 Legislative Session - EV-related Bills

[nanimac]

Here's a list of bills relating to EVs in this year's legislative session and respective links to the website for the full bill/status.

- HB793/SB817 Increases the number of parking spaces that a place of public accommodation with at least one hundred spaces is required to offer, from one parking space to four parking spaces by July 1, 2022. Removes the exemption that owners of multiple places of public accommodation may offer electric vehicle parking spaces based on the aggregate number of parking spaces available in their properties. Establishes notification requirements and fines for noncompliance.
Measure Status
Measure Status

- SB822 Requires the department of transportation to install and operate public electric vehicle charging systems on Kauai, Maui, Molokai, and the Island of Hawaii. Appropriates moneys to fund installation and operation of the electric vehicle charging systems.
Measure Status
HB793.DOC

- SB821 Provides an income tax credit to taxpayers who install or operate an electric vehicle charging system that is available for use by the public, unless otherwise required by law.
Measure Status
SB821.DOC

- SB649 - Establishes an annual electric vehicle registration surcharge to be deposited into the state highway fund.
Measure Status

- HB738 - Includes fuel cell electric vehicles in the definition of "electric vehicles" for purposes of parking exemptions, HOV lane use, registration, and required parking spaces in places of public accommodation. Grants procurement priority for fuel cell electric vehicles for state and county vehicle purchases.
Measure Status

- HB152 - Requires the Public Utilities Commission to establish policies and rules for the implementation of retail wheeling. Requires the Commission to report on the status of the implementation of retail wheeling annually until the implementation is complete.
Measure Status

 

[spleen]

Not happy about HB738 - we're going to be fighting for charging spaces with fuel cell vehicles.

 

[nanimac]

Not happy about HB738 - we're going to be fighting for charging spaces with fuel cell vehicles.

yup. All 2 of them

 

[nanimac]

New bill. Clean energy fees. Looks like EV rebate fund included...$2500 rebate...but for cars less than $50k so great for Model 3!


SB1187/HB1259: Establishes clean transportation fee to be paid from a tax on fuel sales. Establishes the zero emissions vehicle infrastructure special fund to be funded by a percentage of the clean transportation fee for the purpose of expediting the development of electric charging and hydrogen fueling infrastructure throughout the State to enable and promote the use of zero emissions vehicles. Establishes the zero emissions vehicle rebate special fund to provide rebates for the purchase of new zero emissions vehicles within the State so long as funds are available.

Measure Status

 

[nanimac]

Another new bill: Establishes working group to achieve 100% renewable ground transportation by 2045.

HB1580: Establishes a goal to reduce and ultimately eliminate the use of fossil fuels for ground transportation by 2045. Creates a working group to create metrics, identify a plan, and develop recommendations to achieve 100% renewable ground transportation statewide by 2045.

Measure Status

 

[nanimac]

Autonomous vehicle Bill - For testing only, but it's a start...bad news though is deadline is year-end 2018.

"The department shall establish, no later than January 1, 2019, an application and approval process by which autonomous vehicle manufacturers and other interested parties may seek to test autonomous vehicles in the State."

HB1596 - Authorizes for testing purposes the operation of autonomous vehicles in the State of Hawaii. Requires Department of Transportation to establish an application and approval process and report annually to the legislature. Makes an appropriation.
Measure Status

 

[Papafox]

Any bill relating to a credit on home batteries?

 

[nanimac]

Any bill relating to a credit on home batteries?

HB1593: Establishes the clean energy savings jump start program and fund. Establishes the energy storage system rebate program. Amends the green infrastructure loan program by deleting the public utilities commission's loan approval authority.

Measure Status

 

[Akikiki]

Be advised, the Federal Solar Tax Credit does not include energy storage devices unless its installed in conjunction with solar panels. And you know the issues trying to install more solar panels these days.

 

[Papafox]

HB1593: Establishes the clean energy savings jump start program and fund. Establishes the energy storage system rebate program. Amends the green infrastructure loan program by deleting the public utilities commission's loan approval authority.

Measure Status

Last year the bill specifically excluded Tesla Powerwalls by limiting the size of the batteries. I'm thinking someone is trying to do the same this year because of the warranty requirements of the batteries. It would be good if someone could bring this measure to Tesla's attention, see if Tesla meets the stated requirements, and if not, some of us could lobby in favor of changing the language so that Tesla Powerwalls could be considered. I don't like legislation that specifically tries to exclude one company's product. It's not in the public interest.

 

[gmtom1]

SB817 got a brief article in today's Pacific Business News:

http://www.bizjournals.com/pacific/news/2017/02/06/bill-would-impose-fines-on-hawaiiparking-lot.html

 

[Akikiki]

SB817 got a brief article in today's Pacific Business News:

http://www.bizjournals.com/pacific/news/2017/02/06/bill-would-impose-fines-on-hawaiiparking-lot.html

This article states that "the current law only penalizes people who park their non-EV in spaces reserved for EVs with fines between $50 and $100". Has anyone witnessed this fine being imposed on a non-EV for parking in an EV space?

 

[drtko147]

The problem is that it is not the local security for the parking lot but HPD that would issue the ticket.

 

[nanimac]

There's still time to submit testimony on this bill..Measure Status

So far, opposition by the Building Owners and Management association.

http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/Session2017/Testimony/SB817_TESTIMONY_TRE-PSM_02-06-17.PDF

 

[drtko147]

The bill to increase the electric vehicle parking beyond 1 stall per 100 vehicles didn't make the deadline.
Bills on energy and health care keep breathing

 

[nanimac]

Another new bill: Establishes working group to achieve 100% renewable ground transportation by 2045.

HB1580: Establishes a goal to reduce and ultimately eliminate the use of fossil fuels for ground transportation by 2045. Creates a working group to create metrics, identify a plan, and develop recommendations to achieve 100% renewable ground transportation statewide by 2045.

Measure Status

Blue Planet Foundation is asking for testimony in support of this bill.

"The bill is one-third of the way to becoming law. We have a long way to go, but together we can do it.

We're making it easy for your voice to be heard. It's crucial that lawmakers hear about why you support the bill.

Anyone can voice their support by submitting testimony online via our convenient web form, available at blueplanetfoundation.org/fossilfuelfree.

With your permission, we'll submit testimony to the relevant legislative committees on your behalf for upcoming hearings on the bill. That means you only need to submit testimony once!

Submit testimony NOW to be ready for the next hearing."

100% Renewable Transportation

 

[nanimac]

HB1593: Establishes the clean energy savings jump start program and fund. Establishes the energy storage system rebate program. Amends the green infrastructure loan program by deleting the public utilities commission's loan approval authority.

Measure Status

House bill and Senate bill (SB361 Measure Status) passed. Senate bill has specific rebates outlined. Max is $7,000 for residential and depends on your AGI.

 

[gmtom1]

There's a short and relatively benign article in today's Star-Advertiser highlighting the lack of enforcement of the EV Charging stall law.

Disregard of law causes EV parking shortage (subscription required to view - sorry!)

 

[nanimac]

There's a short and relatively benign article in today's Star-Advertiser highlighting the lack of enforcement of the EV Charging stall law.

Disregard of law causes EV parking shortage (subscription required to view - sorry!)

Here are some key excerpts from the article...

As the law is routinely ignored, the number of public charging stations has failed to keep pace with EV ownership growth.

As of January there were 5,202 electric vehicles on the road in Hawaii, a 27.7 percent year-over-year increase. There are 229 public electric stations with a total of 519 charging outlets in Hawaii, according the U.S. Department of Energy.

Of 195 hotels, downtown parking lots, hospitals, universities, airports and shopping centers that fit the requirements, only 60 have complied, according to preliminary data from Blue Planet Foundation.

One bill this session (HB 793), which didn’t make it out of committee hearings, proposed assigning the state Department of Transportation to monitor and fine businesses that don’t comply. The bill also proposed to change the requirement to one charging station for every 100 stalls, instead of one charging station if the property has at least 100 stalls.

Article also quotes a leaf owner who has been stranded because he couldn't access a public charger.

 

[gmtom1]

Article also quotes a leaf owner who has been stranded because he couldn't access a public charger.

Even with the Leaf's tiny range, it seems strange for him to have been stranded at home. Must be he doesn't charge at home. I wonder if that's pretty common among Leaf owners that were led to believe that they can make do without home charging by the stealership.

It is ridiculous that a law can be so blatantly ignored and not enforced. Tells you something about the property owners/managers attitude about following the law and doing the right thing.

The DOT should implement admin rules (which will probably take forever) with stiff fines for noncompliance, then you'll see how quick the property owners can move.