HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

957

TWENTY-NINTH LEGISLATURE, 2017

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

Relating to Heat Abatement.

 

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 


     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that $100,000,000 was appropriated for the department of education's heat abatement program in 2016.  To advance Hawaii's clean energy goals, the legislature also required the department of education to establish a goal of being net-zero with respect to energy use by January 1, 2035.  The legislature further required the department, and any contractor hired to implement classroom cooling measures by the department, to maximize energy efficiency, installation, and operating cost savings over the entire life of heat abatement projects.

     The legislature additionally finds that while $100,000,000 was intended to fund heat abatement upgrades for at least one thousand public school classrooms, an estimated six thousand additional classrooms are in need of heat abatement improvements.  With contractors bidding in excess of $80,000 per classroom on department of education cooling projects after the $100,000,000 was appropriated, providing funds for continuing heat abatement and energy efficiency upgrades throughout the state's public school system remains a high priority for public education policy.

     The purpose of this Act is to expedite the cooling of all public school classrooms to a temperature conducive to student learning by providing that moneys in the Hawaii green infrastructure special fund may be used for loans to subsidize installation costs for air conditioning, energy-efficient lighting, and other energy-efficiency measures related to heat abatement at public schools.

     SECTION 2.  Section 196-65, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (b) to read as follows:

     "(b)  Moneys in the Hawaii green infrastructure special fund may be used, subject to the approval of the public utilities commission, for the purposes of:

     (1)  Making green infrastructure loans[;], including for installation costs for air conditioning, energy-efficient lighting, and other energy-efficiency measures related to heat abatement at public schools;

     (2)  Paying administrative costs of the Hawaii green infrastructure loan program;

     (3)  Paying any other costs related to the Hawaii green infrastructure loan program; or

     (4)  Paying financing costs, as defined in section 269-161, to the extent permitted by the public utilities commission in a financing order issued pursuant to section 269-163."

     SECTION 3.  There is appropriated out of the Hawaii green infrastructure special fund the sum of $          or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2017-2018 for the purpose of loaning such moneys to the department of education and department of budget and finance for the purposes of this Act.

     The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of business, economic development, and tourism for the purposes of this Act.

     SECTION 4.  The department of education and department of budget and finance, with the approval of the governor, are authorized to borrow the sum of $          or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2017-2018 from the green infrastructure loan program for capital improvement program equipment and installation costs for air conditioning, energy-efficient lighting, and other energy-efficiency measures related to heat abatement at public schools.

     SECTION 5.  There is appropriated out of other funds under the control of the department of education and the department of budget and finance the sum of $          or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2017-2018 to allow expenditure of funds borrowed pursuant to section 4 for capital improvement program equipment and installation costs for air conditioning, energy-efficient lighting, and other energy-efficiency measures related to heat abatement at public schools.

     The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of education and the department of budget and finance for the purposes of this Act.

     SECTION 6.  There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $          or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2017-2018 for the initial loan repayment for the moneys borrowed from the green infrastructure loan program by the department of education and department of budget and finance.

     The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of budget and finance for the purposes of this Act.

     SECTION 7.  Funds appropriated or authorized by this Act that are not expended or encumbered by June 30, 2019, shall lapse as of that date to the fund from which the funds originated.

     SECTION 8.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 9.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2017.

 

INTRODUCED BY:

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Report Title:

Public Schools; Heat Abatement; Hawaii Green Infrastructure Special Fund; Appropriation

 

Description:

Authorizes the DOE and B&F to borrow moneys from the Hawaii green infrastructure loan program for heat abatement measures at public schools.  Appropriates general funds to make an initial repayment to the Hawaii green infrastructure special fund.

 

 

 

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