While it might be too soon to write the final chapter on Hawai'i's experience with the gas cap law, it's reasonable to look ahead to what government has offered in the interest of consumers.

The legislation, known during the just-finished session as House Bill 3115, suspended the gas cap but substituted a mandate for the state to provide reports on the costs of oil refining and gasoline production in Hawai'i — the marketplace "transparency" the Lingle administration has long sought.

The reports are to be based on non-confidential information supplied by refiners, including: crude oil costs and sources; operating, marketing, distribution and other corporate expenses; and annual reports and earnings data, among other figures.

The lack of a meaningful appropriation enabling the Public Utilities Commission to do this work — a dollar was allotted — was disappointing. The budget had already moved on by the time lawmakers reached consensus on the new gas bill.

Also, it might have been smarter to assign the work to the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, which already had tackled a portion of the fact-finding mission. Instead, the Public Utilities Commission was tapped, and it's likely that the workload is heavier than current staff can reasonably handle. Lawmakers should reconsider that move next session.

Although the new law empowers the governor to reinstitute the gas cap, that's a long shot, given her opposition to price controls.

As written, the legislation pales in importance beside the state's push for energy independence. More work is needed to support alternative fuel development, but the Legislature took small, important steps this year, pressing for better fuel efficiency in new state buildings or fleet vehicles, among other measures.

But despite the shortcomings of the gas-price law, the governor's Cabinet and staff ought to work on its behalf. Making gas pricing transparent to consumers is how the Lingle administration preferred addressing the issue from the start.

So the administration should provide the resources needed to deliver the information to the public as quickly as possible.

And Gov. Lingle must be a driving force behind this process.

Officials maintain that the weight of public opinion can influence the local marketplace — all the better if the consumers are educated about the true costs of doing business.

Great. Now it's time to make sure the information is made public.