HB1182 • 2026

RELATING TO RENEWABLE ENERGY.

Budget Energy Labor

Active

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

Sponsor: SAYAMA, KILA, MARTEN, TODD, Lowen
Last action: 2025-12-08
Official status: Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The effective date of the bill is listed as July 1, 3000 in the official summary and text, which seems to be an error or placeholder. The candidate explanation incorrectly stated it would take effect on July 1, 2025.

Renewable Energy Rates

This bill allows the Public Utilities Commission to set special rates for buying renewable energy from facilities that meet prevailing wage requirements, and it requires utilities to send requests for these rates to the commission.

What This Bill Does

Gives the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) permission to create preferential rates for purchasing renewable energy if the facility meets certain prevailing wage requirements.
Requires public utility companies to forward any request for preferential rates to the PUC for approval.

Who It Names or Affects

Public Utilities Commission
Renewable energy facilities that meet prevailing wage requirements
Public utility companies

Terms To Know

Prevailing Wages: The standard wage paid to workers in a specific area for their type of work.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify the exact amount of money appropriated from the special fund.
It is unclear what happens if renewable energy facilities do not meet the prevailing wage requirements.
This act takes effect on July 1, 3000.

Amendments

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

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: This amendment allows the Public Utilities Commission to set preferential rates for renewable energy from facilities that pay prevailing wages, and requires utilities to forward requests for these rates to the commission.

The Public Utilities Commission can now authorize preferential rates for renewable energy produced by facilities that meet certain wage requirements.
Public utilities must send any request for preferential rates related to prevailing wages to the Public Utilities Commission for approval.

The amendment specifies an effective date of July 1, 3000, which seems incorrect and likely needs correction in future versions of the bill.
Details on how the commission will determine 'prevailing wage' requirements are not provided.

Bill History

2025-12-08 D
Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
2025-02-04 H
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on CPC with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Garcia, Pierick, Reyes Oda voting no (3) and Representative(s) Cochran, Kong, Ward excused (3).
2025-02-04 H
Reported from LAB (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 133) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to CPC.
2025-01-30 H
The committee on LAB recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 4 Ayes: Representative(s) Sayama, Lee, M., Garrett; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Kapela; 2 Noes: Representative(s) Kong, Reyes Oda; and Excused: none.
2025-01-27 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by LAB on Thursday, 01-30-25 9:00AM in House conference room 309 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2025-01-27 H
Referred to LAB, CPC, FIN, referral sheet 4
2025-01-23 H
Introduced and Pass First Reading.
2025-01-22 H
Pending introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO RENEWABLE ENERGY.
PUC; Renewable Energy; Preferential Rates; Prevailing Wages; Public Utilities Commission Special Fund; Appropriations ($)
Grants the Public Utilities Commission the ability to authorize preferential rates for the purchase of renewable energy from facilities that meet certain prevailing wage requirements. Requires public utilities to forward certain requests for preferential rates to the PUC for approval. Appropriates funds. Effective 07/01/3000. (HD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB1182

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

1182

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to renewable energy
.

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

����
SECTION 1.
�
The legislature finds that the State has a goal
to achieve a one hundred per cent renewable portfolio standard by 2045.
�
The legislature recognizes that the Internal
Revenue Service offers a clean electricity investment tax credit that provides
incentives to support qualified renewable energy facilities that utilize labor
paid at prevailing wages.
�
These incentives
further support a clean energy economy by improving job quality in clean energy
industries and expanding workforce training pathways into these jobs.
�
The legislature notes that Hawaii, unlike
other states, does not provide any tax incentives for large-scale renewable
energy facilities.

����
Accordingly,
the purpose of this Act is to help the State achieve its clean energy goals by
authorizing the public utilities commission to establish preferential rates for
the purchase of renewable energy from facilities that meet certain prevailing
wage requirements.

����
SECTION
2.
�
Chapter 269, Hawaii Revised Statutes,
is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read
as follows:

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"
�269-
�
Preferential renewable energy rates;
prevailing wages.
�
(a)
�
The public utilities commission may authorize
preferential rates for the purchase of renewable energy produced from
facilities in conjunction with prevailing wages.

����
(b)
�

Upon receipt of a bona fide request for preferential rates for the
purchase of renewable energy produced from facilities in conjunction with
prevailing wages, a public utility shall forward the request to the public
utilities commission for approval.

����
(c)
�

As used in this section, "prevailing wages" has the same
meaning as defined in section 104-1.
"

����
SECTION 3.
�

There is appropriated out of the public utilities commission
special fund the sum of $
or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year
2025-2026 and the
same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 for any
costs incurred by the public utilities commission in authorizing preferential
rates for the purchase of renewable energy pursuant to section
269- , Hawaii Revised Statutes.

����
The sums

appropriated shall be expended by the public utilities commission
for the purposes of this Act.

����
SECTION 4.
�

New statutory material is underscored.

����
SECTION 5.
�

This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2025.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

PUC;
Renewable Energy; Preferential Rates; Prevailing Wages; Public Utilities
Commission Special Fund; Appropriations

Description:

Grants
the Public Utilities Commission the ability to authorize preferential rates for
the purchase of renewable energy from facilities that meet certain prevailing
wage requirements.
�
Requires public
utilities to forward certain requests for preferential rates to the PUC for
approval.
�
Appropriates funds.

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