RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HAWAIIAN HOME LANDS.

Budget Energy

Active

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

Sponsor: LOWEN, EVSLIN, HOLT, ILAGAN, KEOHOKAPU-LEE LOY, KUSCH, LA CHICA, LEE, M., MARTEN, MATAYOSHI, MIYAKE, MORIKAWA, OLDS, QUINLAN, TAKAYAMA, TAKENOUCHI, TAM, TARNAS, TEMPLO, WOODSON, Kila
Last action: 2026-02-18
Official status: Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on FIN as amended in HD 2 with Representative(s) Alcos, Amato, Gedeon, Matsumoto, Perruso, Reyes Oda, Shimizu voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Cochran, Garcia, Muraoka, Pierick, Poepoe voting no (5) and none excused (0).
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary does not provide details on how much funding will be allocated to each activity.

Funding for Geothermal Exploration on Hawaiian Home Lands

This bill provides funding to the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands for geothermal resource exploration, development activities, and hiring consultants.

What This Bill Does

Appropriates $5 million from state general revenues for fiscal year 2026-2027.
Allows the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to drill slim holes and develop water wells on Hawaiian home lands.
Requires the department to collect geophysical data related to geothermal resources.
Enables the hiring of consultants to assist with geothermal development activities.

Who It Names or Affects

The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands
Beneficiaries of Hawaiian home lands who will be consulted about these activities

Terms To Know

Geothermal resources: Natural heat from the Earth that can be used to generate electricity and other forms of energy.
Consultants: Experts hired by the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to provide advice on geothermal development.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify how much funding will be used for each activity.
It is unclear what specific sites or areas will be targeted for drilling and data collection.

Amendments

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

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: This amendment provides funding to the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands for geothermal resource exploration and hiring consultants.

Appropriates funds from general revenues for drilling slim holes, developing water wells, collecting geophysical data, and identifying geothermal resources on Hawaiian home lands.
Allocates money for the department to hire consultants to assist with geothermal development activities.

The effective date of July 1, 3000 is likely a placeholder or error since it is far in the future and not practical for implementation.

HD2

Hawaii published version HD2

Plain English: This amendment provides funding to the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands for geothermal resource exploration, development activities, and hiring consultants.

Appropriates funds from general revenues for drilling slim holes, developing water wells, collecting geophysical data, and investigating geothermal resources on Hawaiian home lands.
Allows the department to hire consultants to assist with geothermal development activities.

The exact amount of funding is not specified in the amendment text.
The effective date listed as July 1, 3000 appears incorrect and may be a placeholder or error.

Bill History

2026-02-18 H
Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on FIN as amended in HD 2 with Representative(s) Alcos, Amato, Gedeon, Matsumoto, Perruso, Reyes Oda, Shimizu voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Cochran, Garcia, Muraoka, Pierick, Poepoe voting no (5) and none excused (0).
2026-02-18 H
Reported from JHA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 474-26) as amended in HD 2, recommending referral to FIN.
2026-02-12 H
The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 5 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Hashem, Sayama, Takayama; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Shimizu; 3 Noes: Representative(s) Poepoe, Cochran, Garcia; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Belatti, Kahaloa.
2026-02-10 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by JHA on Thursday, 02-12-26 2:00PM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-02-05 H
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on JHA with Representative(s) Alcos, Gedeon, Matsumoto, Poepoe, Reyes Oda voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Cochran, Garcia, Muraoka, Pierick, Shimizu voting no (5) and Representative(s) Woodson excused (1).
2026-02-05 H
Reported from EEP (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 30-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to JHA.
2026-02-03 H
The committee on EEP recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 7 Ayes: Representative(s) Lowen, Perruso, Chun, Kahaloa, Kusch, Quinlan; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Matsumoto; Noes: none; and Excused: none.
2026-01-30 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by EEP on Tuesday, 02-03-26 9:30AM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-01-28 H
Referred to EEP, JHA, FIN, referral sheet 3
2026-01-26 H
Introduced and Pass First Reading.
2026-01-23 H
Pending introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HAWAIIAN HOME LANDS.
DHHL; Hawaiian Home Lands; Geothermal Resources; Beneficiary Consultation; Environmental Impact Statements; Appropriation ($)
Appropriates funds to the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands for certain geothermal resource exploration and development activities and the hiring of consultants. Requires the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to engage in consultation with beneficiaries of Hawaiian home lands regarding activities funded and to comply with the environmental impact statements law. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB1982

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

1982

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to the department of hawaiian home lands
.

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

����
SECTION
1.
�
The legislature finds that geothermal
resources can provide stable power, community benefits, and a viable
alternative to fossil fuels.
�
Act 205,
Session Laws of Hawaii 2022, appropriated $500,000 to the department of
Hawaiian home lands as start-up funding for the exploration of geothermal
resources on Hawaiian home lands, so that these resources could potentially be used
for the generation, transmission, or production of electricity and renewable
energy resources, including hydrogen.

����
The
legislature recognizes that additional funds are needed for the department of
Hawaiian home lands to continue its efforts in collecting geothermal resource
data.
�
Appropriating follow-up funding
will allow the department of Hawaiian home lands to drill slim holes at certain
sites, develop water wells, collect geophysical data, and hire consultants to
help navigate the intricacies of geothermal development.

����
Accordingly,
the purpose of this Act is to appropriate follow-up funding to the department
of Hawaiian home lands for certain geothermal resource exploration and
development activities and the hiring of consultants.

����
SECTION
2.
�
There is appropriated out of the
general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $5,000,000 or so much
thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 for:

����
(1)
�
The drilling of slim holes, development of
water wells, and continuation of geophysical data collection, investigation,
exploration, and identification of geothermal resources on Hawaiian home lands;
and

����
(2)
�
The department of Hawaiian home lands to hire
consultants to assist with geothermal development activities.

����
The sum
appropriated shall be expended by the department of Hawaiian home lands for the
purposes of this Act.

����
SECTION 3.
�
This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2026.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

DHHL;
Hawaiian Home Lands; Geothermal Resources; Appropriation

Description:

Appropriates
funds to the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands for certain geothermal resource
exploration and development activities and the hiring of consultants.

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