RELATING TO EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS.

Energy Healthcare Taxes

Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor: NAKAMURA (Introduced by request of another party)
Last action: 2025-12-08
Official status: Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The effective date of July 1, 3000, is likely a placeholder or administrative error as it is far into the future.

Emergency Preparedness Act

This bill establishes the Community Readiness Centers Program within HI-EMA, creates a special fund to finance it, and allocates part of an existing tax into this new fund.

What This Bill Does

Establishes the Community Readiness Centers Program within the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency (HI-EMA) for emergency preparedness facilities in various communities.
Creates the Community Readiness Centers Special Fund to support the program's activities, including site purchases and construction costs.
Changes the name of an existing tax from 'Environmental Response, Energy, and Food Security Tax' to 'Environmental Response, Energy, Food Security, and Resilience Tax'.
Allocates a portion of this new tax into the Community Readiness Centers Special Fund.

Who It Names or Affects

Residents in communities where community readiness centers will be established.
The Hawaii Emergency Management Agency (HI-EMA) and other state agencies involved in emergency preparedness.
Businesses that pay taxes on fossil fuels, contributing to the Community Readiness Centers Special Fund.

Terms To Know

Community Readiness Center: A facility designed to provide training and supplies for residents during emergencies, including medical care and charging stations.
Environmental Response, Energy, Food Security, and Resilience Tax: A tax on fossil fuels that funds various environmental and emergency preparedness programs in Hawaii.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify how many community readiness centers will be established or their exact locations.
It is unclear when the program will start since it has an effective date of July 1, 3000, which seems to be a placeholder.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: This amendment establishes a program for community readiness centers and allocates funds from an existing tax to support these centers.

Establishes the Community Readiness Centers Program within the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency.
Creates a special fund to finance the implementation and maintenance of the community readiness centers.
Renames the Environmental Response, Energy, and Food Security Tax to include 'resilience'.
Allocates portions of this renamed tax into the new special fund for community readiness.

The exact details on how much funding will be allocated from the renamed tax are not specified in the amendment text.
Implementation specifics, such as site selection criteria and partnership roles, may require further clarification or additional legislation.

Bill History

2025-12-08 D
Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
2025-02-14 H
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on FIN with Representative(s) Garcia voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Shimizu voting no (1) and Representative(s) Cochran, Matayoshi, Poepoe, Ward excused (4).
2025-02-14 H
Reported from PBS (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 772) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN.
2025-02-12 H
The committee on PBS recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 6 Ayes: Representative(s) Belatti, Ichiyama, Lamosao, Poepoe, Souza; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Iwamoto; 1 Noes: Representative(s) Shimizu; and 3 Excused: Representative(s) Hashem, Morikawa, Woodson.
2025-02-07 H
Bill scheduled for decision making on Wednesday, 02-12-25 11:00AM in conference room 411 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2025-02-05 H
The committee(s) on PBS recommend(s) that the measure be deferred until 02-12-25 11:00AM.
2025-01-31 H
Bill scheduled for decision making on Wednesday, 02-05-25 11:00AM in conference room 411 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2025-01-31 H
The committee(s) on PBS recommend(s) that the measure be deferred until 02-05-25 at 11:00AM.
2025-01-29 H
Bill scheduled for decision making on Friday, 01-31-25 10:00AM in conference room 411 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2025-01-29 H
The committee(s) on PBS recommend(s) that the measure be deferred until 01-31-25.
2025-01-24 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by PBS on Wednesday, 01-29-25 9:00AM in House conference room 411 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2025-01-23 H
Referred to PBS, FIN, referral sheet 3
2025-01-23 H
Introduced and Pass First Reading.
2025-01-21 H
Pending introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS.
HI-EMA; Community Readiness Centers; Community Readiness Centers Special Fund; Environmental Response, Energy, Food Security, and Resilience Tax ($)
Establishes the Community Readiness Centers Program to be implemented and administered by the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency. Establishes the Community Readiness Centers Special Fund to fund the Community Readiness Centers Program. Renames the Environmental Response, Energy, and Food Security Tax to the Environmental Response, Energy, Food Security, and Resilience Tax and directs a portion of the tax into the Community Readiness Centers Special Fund. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB1060

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

1060

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING TO EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS.

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

����
SECTION 1.
�
The
legislature finds that there is a need for community readiness centers in various
communities to ensure emergency preparedness.
�

A community readiness center will serve as a place for residents to
receive emergency preparedness training and emergency information, supplies,
and basic medical care during and after an emergency event.
�
The community readiness centers will also be
used to store and refrigerate medical supplies and provide a place for
residents to charge electrical devices and access the internet.
�
The establishment of these community
readiness centers will require partnerships between numerous agencies and
private entities and the legislature finds that the Hawaii emergency management
agency is the most capable agency to coordinate the establishment of community
readiness centers.

����
The legislature further finds that
community readiness center sites should be carefully identified to ensure
proper connection to the electrical grid and be equipped with a solar and
back-up battery storage system to guard against power outages.
�
Communities should be directly involved in
the location and design of community readiness centers in their respective
communities.

����
The legislature notes that the use of funds
from the environmental response, energy, and food security tax is appropriate
for this purpose.
�
The legislature
further finds that the establishment of community readiness centers will
require dedicated funding and that there is a nexus between the need for
community readiness centers and the use of petroleum and other fossil
fuels.
�
Therefore, it is appropriate to
tax petroleum and other fossil fuel usage to fund community readiness centers.

����
Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to:

����
(1)
�
Establish
the community readiness centers program to be implemented and administered by
the Hawaii emergency management agency;

����
(2)
�
Establish
the community readiness centers special fund for the implementation and
administration of the community readiness centers program;

����
(3)
�
Rename
the environmental response, energy, and food security tax to the environmental
response, energy, food security, and resilience tax; and

����
(4)
�
Allocate
portions of the environmental response, energy, and food security tax into the
community readiness centers special fund.

����
SECTION 2.
�

Chapter 127A, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding two new
sections to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

����
"
�127A-A
�
Community readiness centers program;
established
.
�
(a)
�
There is established the community readiness
centers program within the agency to set up community readiness centers in
various communities to ensure emergency preparedness by providing training and
emergency information, supplies, and basic medical care during and after an
emergency event.
�
The community readiness
centers shall also be used to store and refrigerate medical supplies and
provide a place for residents to charge electrical devices and access the
internet.

����
(b)
�

In implementing and administering the community readiness centers
program, the agency shall:

����
(1)
�
Identify
potential site locations for the establishment of community readiness centers
facilities;

����
(2)
�
Negotiate
and arrange for the purchase or lease of suitable sites;

����
(3)
�
Contract
to design and construct
community readiness centers
facilities,
which may include retrofitting current structures; provided that if constructed
on an empty site, the agency shall ensure that the community readiness centers
facilities will abide by the International Code Council 500 standard, which is
capable of withstanding 250 mph wind - category five hurricanes;

����
(4)
�
Install
a solar and back-up battery storage system, multiple electrical charging
stations, internet access, and the capability to refrigerate medical supplies
at each community readiness center site; and

����
(5)
�
Obtain
suitable emergency supplies, including non- perishable food, and equip each
community readiness center site with emergency supplies.

����
(c)
�

The agency shall provide a selection criteria matrix of standards
necessary for constructing community readiness centers in consultation with the
Hawaii earthquake and tsunami advisory committee and the State hazard
mitigation forum to identify geographic areas where community readiness centers
sites would be able to withstand natural disasters.

����
(d)
�

The agency shall utilize the partnership established through the Hawaii
hazards awareness and resilience program to maintain each of the community
readiness centers.

����
�127A-B
�
community readiness centers special fund;
established.
�
(a)
�
There is established within the state
treasury the community readiness centers special fund, into which shall be
deposited:

����
(1)
�
Appropriations
made by the legislature;

����
(2)
�
Interest
earned on any monies in the fund; and

����
(3)
�
Monies
from the environmental response, energy, food security, and resilience tax
pursuant to section 243-3.5.

����
(b)
�

Monies in the fund shall be administered by the agency and used for the
following purposes:

����
(1)
�
The
purchase or lease of suitable community readiness centers sites;

����
(2)
�
The
design and construction of community readiness centers facilities, which may
include the retrofitting of existing structures;

����
(3)
�
The
installation of solar panels and a back-up battery storage system at each
community readiness centers facilities site;

����
(4)
�
The
installation of electrical charging stations, internet access, and capability
to refrigerate medical supplies at each community readiness center facility;

����
(5)
�
The
purchase of suitable emergency supplies for community readiness centers; and

����
(6)
�
The
administration and maintenance of community readiness centers.
"

����
SECTION 3.
�

Section 128D-2, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending
subsection (a) to read as follows:

����
"(a)
�
There is created within the state treasury an
environmental response revolving fund, which shall consist of moneys
appropriated to the fund by the legislature, moneys paid to the fund as a
result of departmental compliance proceedings, moneys paid to the fund pursuant
to court-ordered awards or judgments, moneys paid to the fund in court-approved
or out-of-court settlements, all interest attributable to investment of money
deposited in the fund, moneys deposited in the fund from the environmental response,
energy, [
and
] food security
, and resilience
tax pursuant to
section 243-3.5, and moneys allotted to the fund from other sources."

����
SECTION 4.
�

Section 201-12.8, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending
subsection (a) to read as follows:

����
"(a)
�
There is created within the state treasury an
energy security special fund, which shall consist of:

����
(1)
�
The
portion of the environmental response, energy, [
and
] food security
,
and resilience
tax specified under section 243-3.5;

����
(2)
�
Moneys
appropriated to the fund by the legislature;

����
(3)
�
All
interest attributable to investment of money deposited in the fund; and

����
(4)
�
Moneys
allotted to the fund from other sources, including under section 196-6.5.
"

����
SECTION 5.
�

Section 243-3.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended as follows:

����
1.
�
By amending its title to read:

����
"
�243-3.5
�
Environmental response, energy, [
and
]
food security,
and resilience
tax; uses.
"

����
2.
�

By amending subsections (a) and (b) to read:

����
"(a)
�

In addition to any other taxes provided by law, subject to the
exemptions set forth in section 243-7, there is hereby imposed a state
environmental response, energy, [
and
] food security
, and resilience

tax on each barrel or fractional part of a barrel of petroleum product sold by
a distributor to any retail dealer or end user of petroleum product, other than
a refiner.
�
The tax shall be $1.10 on
each barrel or fractional part of a barrel of petroleum product that is not
aviation fuel; provided that of the tax collected pursuant to this subsection:

����
(1)
�
5
cents of the tax on each barrel shall be deposited into the environmental
response revolving fund established under section 128D-2;

����
(2)
�
4
cents of the tax on each barrel shall be deposited into the energy security
special fund established under section 201-12.8;

����
(3)
�
5
cents of the tax on each barrel shall be deposited into the energy systems
development special fund established under section 304A-2169.1;

����
(4)
�
3
cents of the tax on each barrel shall be deposited into the electric vehicle
charging system subaccount established pursuant to section 269-33(e); [
and
]

����
(5)
�
3
cents of the tax on each barrel shall be deposited into the hydrogen fueling
system subaccount established pursuant to section 269-33(f)[
.
]
; and

����
(6)
�
5
cents of the tax on each barrel shall be deposited into the community readiness
centers special fund established pursuant to section 127A-B.

����
The tax imposed by this subsection shall be
paid by the distributor of the petroleum product.

����
(b)
�
In
addition to subsection (a), the tax shall also be imposed on each one million
British thermal units of fossil fuel sold by a distributor to any retail dealer
or end user, other than a refiner, of fossil fuel.
�
The tax shall be 19 cents on each one million
British thermal units of fossil fuel; provided that of the tax collected
pursuant to this subsection:

����
(1)
�
4.8
per cent of the tax on each one million British thermal units shall be
deposited into the environmental response revolving fund established under
section 128D-2;

����
(2)
�
14.3
per cent of the tax on each one million British thermal units shall be
deposited into the energy security special fund established under section
201-12.8; [
and
]

����
(3)
�
9.5
per cent of the tax on each one million British thermal units shall be
deposited into the energy systems development special fund established under
section 304A-2169.1[
.
]
; and

����
(4)
�
11.4
per cent of the tax on each one million British thermal units shall be deposited
into the community readiness centers special fund established pursuant to
section 127A-B.

����
The tax imposed by this subsection shall be
paid by the
�
distributor of the fossil
fuel. "

����
SECTION 6.
�

Section 304A-2169.1, Hawaii Revised Statues, is amended by amending
subsection (b) to read as follows:

����
"(b)
�

Deposits into the special fund may be from the following:

����
(1)
�
Appropriations
from the legislature;

����
(2)
�
A
portion of the environmental response, energy, [
and
] food security
,
and resilience
tax pursuant to section 243-3.5; and

����
(3)
�
Investment
earnings, gifts, donations, or other income received by the Hawaii natural
energy institute."

����
SECTION 7.
�

In codifying the new sections added by section 2 and referenced by
section 5 of this Act, the revisor of statutes shall substitute appropriate
section numbers for the letters used in designating the new sections in this
Act.

����
SECTION 8.
�

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

����
SECTION 9.
�

This Act, upon its approval, shall take effect on July 1, 2025.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

BY REQUEST

Report Title:

HI-EMA; Community Readiness Centers; Community Readiness
Centers Special Fund; Environmental Response, Energy, and Food Security Tax

Description:

Establishes the Community Readiness Centers Program to be
implemented and administered by the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency.
�
Establishes the Community Readiness Centers
Special Fund to fund the Community Readiness Centers Program.
�
Renames the Environmental Response, Energy,
and Food Security Tax to the Environmental Response, Energy, Food Security, and
Resilience Tax and directs a portion of the tax into the Community Readiness
Centers Special Fund.
�
Effective
7/1/2025.

The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.