Bill Text: HI HR198 | 2023 | Regular Session | Introduced

---

Bill Title: Urging The Governor And State Departments To Investigate Opportunities Provided By The Direct Pay Provision In The Inflation Reduction Act That Allows For Direct Payment Of Clean Energy Incentives To State Government Entities For The Cost Of Installing Solar Energy Systems In State Facilities.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 21-0)

Status: (Passed) 2023-04-05 - Resolution adopted in final form. [HR198 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2023-HR198-Introduced.html

---

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.R. NO.	198
THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2023
STATE OF HAWAII

HOUSE RESOLUTION

 

 

urging the governor and state departments to investigate opportunities provided by the direct pay provision in the inflation reduction act that allows for direct payment of clean energy incentives to state government entities for the cost of installing solar energy systems in state facilities.

 

 

 

     WHEREAS, in the Regular Session of 2021, the Legislature acknowledged that climate change poses an existential threat to humanity, declared a climate emergency, and requested statewide collaboration toward an immediate just transition and emergency mobilization effort to restore a safe climate; and

 

     WHEREAS, on August 16, 2022, President Biden signed into law the Inflation Reduction Act, marking the most significant action the United States Congress has taken on clean energy and climate change in the nation's history, which includes $369,000,000,000 in direct investments to lower energy costs for families and small businesses, accelerate private investment in clean energy solutions in every sector of the economy and every corner of the country, strengthen supply chains for everything from critical minerals to efficient electric appliances, and create good-paying jobs and new economic opportunities for workers; and

 

     WHEREAS, the Inflation Reduction Act includes a provision allowing direct payment of clean energy incentives to tax-exempt entities who cannot take advantage of federal tax credits for clean energy, such as states and counties, for activities such as installing solar energy systems, including batteries, on state facilities, up to thirty percent of the cost of these projects; and

 

     WHEREAS, in fiscal year 2022, state departments and agencies consumed over 520,000,000 kilowatt hours of electricity, costing taxpayers $173,000,000; and

 

     WHEREAS, installing solar energy systems on state facilities would lower energy use, save money for the State and taxpayers, and reduce the State's contributions to carbon pollution; and

 

     WHEREAS, investment in Hawaii's clean energy transition drives economic growth, creates good-paying green economy jobs, lowers costs and the energy burden for all people in the State, and reduces carbon pollution to mitigate the impacts of the global climate crisis; and

 

     WHEREAS, state government entities must aggressively pursue this opportunity and maximize the use of federal funds to reduce the costs of installing renewable energy systems on state facilities and build institutional capacity to fully obtain, accept, utilize, and administer the funds available from the federal government to decarbonize the economy and ensure a just and resilient transition currently and in the future; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Thirty-second Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2023, that the Governor and state departments are urged to investigate opportunities provided by the direct pay provision in the Inflation Reduction Act that allows for direct payment of clean energy incentives to state government entities for the cost of installing solar energy systems in state facilities; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that state departments tasked with managing facilities, including the Department of Accounting and General Services, Department of Education, and Department of Transportation, are requested to designate a point person to prepare for the availability and deployment of the direct pay funding for energy systems on state facilities; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Governor, head of each principal department, Chief Energy Officer of the Hawaii State Energy Office, and Director of the Hawaii Green Infrastructure Authority.

 

 

 

	OFFERED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title: 

Direct Payments; Inflation Reduction Act; Solar Energy Systems; Clean Energy