HB1280 • 2026

RELATING TO ELECTRIC VEHICLES.

Housing

Active

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

Sponsor: TAKENOUCHI
Last action: 2025-12-08
Official status: Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary text does not provide details on funding for the working group or specific actions to be taken based on findings, leaving these points uncertain.

Electric Vehicle Fires Working Group

This bill requires the State Fire Marshal to establish a working group that will study electric vehicle fires in buildings with confined parking areas.

What This Bill Does

Establishes an Electric Vehicle Fires Working Group within the office of the State Fire Marshal.
The group includes representatives from various state agencies and local counties.
The group must examine the impact of electric vehicle fires on residential, commercial, and business properties with confined parking structures.
The group will recommend updates to safety codes for buildings housing electric vehicles and their charging stations.
The group is required to submit a report to the legislature by 2027.

Who It Names or Affects

State Fire Marshal
Insurance Commissioner, Comptroller, Public Utilities Commission members, and local county representatives

Terms To Know

Confined Parking Structures: Buildings or areas where vehicles are parked in a closed space.
Working Group: A team of people brought together to study and solve specific problems.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify what actions will be taken based on the group's findings.
It is unclear how much funding will be provided for this working group.
The bill only requires a report by 2027 and does not outline specific changes to laws or regulations.

Bill History

2025-12-08 D
Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
2025-01-27 H
Referred to PBS, TRN, FIN, referral sheet 4
2025-01-23 H
Introduced and Pass First Reading.
2025-01-22 H
Pending introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO ELECTRIC VEHICLES.
State Fire Marshal; Electric Vehicle Fires Working Group
Requires the State Fire Marshal to convene an electric vehicle fires working group to examine the impact of electric vehicle fires in residential, commercial, and business properties that have confined parking structures.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB1280

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

1280

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING
TO ELECTRIC VEHICLES
.

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

����
SECTION 1.
�
(a)
�

There shall be established within the office of the state fire marshal
in the department of labor and industrial relations an electric vehicle fires
working group to examine the impact of electric vehicle fires in residential,
commercial, and business properties that have confined parking structures,
including any potential rise in insurance costs associated with having electric
vehicles and their charging stations located in confined parking structures.

����
(b)
�
The electric vehicle fires working group
shall consist of:

����
(1)
�
The state fire marshal, who shall serve as
chairperson of the working group;

����
(2)
�
The insurance commissioner, or the
commissioner's designee;

����
(3)
�
The comptroller, or the comptroller's
designee;

����
(4)
�
The chairperson of the public utilities
commission, or the chairperson's designee;

����
(5)
�
A member of the facility maintenance agency
from each county; and

����
(6)
�
A member of the building permitting agency
from each county.

����
(c)
�
The state fire marshal shall invite the
following individuals to become members of the electric vehicle fires working
group:

����
(1)
�
A representative for commercial parking
structures; and

����
(2)
�
A representative from the condominium
industry.

����
(d)
�
The electric vehicle fires working group
shall submit a report to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the
convening of the regular session of 2027 of its findings and recommendations,
including recommendations on:

����
(1)
�
Updating the state fire code, building code,
and electrical code to make parking structures more resilient to electric
vehicle fires and for purposes of fire containment;

����
(2)
�
Additional training for the county fire
departments; and

����
(3)
�
Proposed legislation.

����
(e)
�
The electric vehicle fires working group shall
cease to exist on June 30, 2027.

����
SECTION 2.
�
This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

State
Fire Marshal; Electric Vehicle Fires Working Group

Description:

Requires
the State Fire Marshal to convene an electric vehicle fires working group to
examine the impact of electric vehicle fires in residential, commercial, and
business properties that have confined parking structures.

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