SB1269 • 2026

RELATING TO GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES.

Budget

Active

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

Sponsor: INOUYE
Last action: 2026-03-20
Official status: Received notice of all Senate conferees being discharged (Sen. Com. No. 409).
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

RELATING TO GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES.

What This Bill Does

RELATING TO GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES.
DBEDT; Geothermal Resources; Appropriation ($) Appropriates funds to the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism for continued exploration and identification of geothermal resources and commercial viability for utility-scale geothermal production in counties with a population of less than 300,000, with certain limitations.
Effective 7/1/3000.
(HD2)

Limits and Unknowns

This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Amendments

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

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: SB1269 HD1 THE SENATE S.B.

SB1269 HD1 THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
1269 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025 S.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII H.D.

HD2

Hawaii published version HD2

Plain English: SB1269 HD2 THE SENATE S.B.

SB1269 HD2 THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
1269 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025 S.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII H.D.

SD1

Hawaii published version SD1

Plain English: SB1269 SD1 THE SENATE S.B.

SB1269 SD1 THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
1269 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025 S.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES .

Bill History

2026-03-20 H
Received notice of all Senate conferees being discharged (Sen. Com. No. 409).
2026-03-20 S
Senate Conferee(s) discharged.
2025-12-08 D
Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
2025-04-21 H
Received notice of Senate conferees (Sen. Com. No. 851).
2025-04-21 S
Senate Conferees Appointed: DeCoite Chair; Kim, Inouye Co-Chairs; DeCorte.
2025-04-08 H
Received notice of disagreement (Sen. Com. No. 774).
2025-04-08 S
Senate disagrees with House amendments.
2025-04-08 S
Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 602).
2025-04-04 H
Passed Third Reading with Representative(s) Amato, Iwamoto, Reyes Oda voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Alcos, Garcia, Matsumoto, Muraoka, Pierick, Shimizu voting no (6) and Representative(s) Cochran, Kapela excused (2). Transmitted to Senate.
2025-04-04 H
Reported from FIN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1969), recommending passage on Third Reading.
2025-04-01 H
The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 14 Ayes: Representative(s) Yamashita, Takenouchi, Grandinetti, Holt, Hussey, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kitagawa, Kusch, Lamosao, Lee, M., Miyake, Morikawa, Templo; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Reyes Oda; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Alcos.
2025-03-28 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by FIN on Tuesday, 04-01-25 2:00PM in House conference room 308 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2025-03-21 H
Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on FIN as amended in HD 2 with Representative(s) Garcia, Reyes Oda voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Amato, Muraoka, Pierick, Shimizu voting no (4) and Representative(s) Cochran, Garrett, Kapela, Kitagawa, Ward excused (5).
2025-03-21 H
Reported from CPC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1501) as amended in HD 2, recommending referral to FIN.
2025-03-19 H
The committee on CPC recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 6 Ayes: Representative(s) Matayoshi, Chun, Ichiyama, Kong, Lowen, Tam; Ayes with reservations: none; 2 Noes: Representative(s) Iwamoto, Pierick; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Ilagan, Marten.
2025-03-14 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by CPC on Wednesday, 03-19-25 2:00PM in House conference room 329 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2025-03-14 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) Amato, Garcia, Pierick voting no (3) and Representative(s) Cochran, Holt, Iwamoto, Ward excused (4).
2025-03-14 H
Reported from EEP/ECD (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1267) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to CPC.
2025-03-13 H
The committee on ECD recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 6 Ayes: Representative(s) Ilagan, Tam, Templo, Todd, Matsumoto; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Hussey; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Holt.
2025-03-13 H
The committee on EEP recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 4 Ayes: Representative(s) Lowen, Perruso, Kahaloa, Kusch; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Quinlan, Ward.
2025-03-10 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by EEP/ECD on Thursday, 03-13-25 11:00AM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2025-03-04 H
Referred to EEP/ECD, CPC, FIN, referral sheet 18
2025-03-04 H
Pass First Reading
2025-02-28 H
Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 52) in amended form (SD 1).
2025-02-28 S
Report Adopted; Passed Third Reading. Ayes, 22; Aye(s) with reservations: none. Noes, 1 (Senator(s) Awa). Excused, 2 (Senator(s) Fukunaga, Kidani). Transmitted to House.
2025-02-27 S
One Day Notice 02-28-25.
2025-02-27 S
Reported from WAM (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 783) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading.
2025-02-18 S
The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in WAM were as follows: 12 Aye(s): Senator(s) Dela Cruz, Moriwaki, Aquino, Elefante, Hashimoto, Inouye, Kanuha, Kidani, Kim, Lee, C., Wakai, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) DeCoite.
2025-02-14 S
The committee(s) on WAM will hold a public decision making on 02-18-25 10:01AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference.
2025-02-12 S
Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM.
2025-02-12 S
Reported from EDT (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 394) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.
2025-02-04 S
The committee(s) on EDT recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in EDT were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) DeCoite, Wakai, Fukunaga, Kim; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 1 No(es): Senator(s) Awa; and 0 Excused: none.
2025-01-30 S
The committee(s) on EDT has scheduled a public hearing on 02-04-25 1:00PM; Conference Room 229 & Videoconference.
2025-01-27 S
Referred to EDT, WAM.
2025-01-23 S
Introduced and passed First Reading.
2025-01-21 S
Pending Introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES.
DBEDT; Geothermal Resources; Appropriation ($)
Appropriates funds to the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism for continued exploration and identification of geothermal resources and commercial viability for utility-scale geothermal production in counties with a population of less than 300,000, with certain limitations. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

SB1269

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

1269

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to geothermal resources
.

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

����
SECTION 1.
�
The
legislature finds that geothermal resources can provide stable power and
community benefits and are a viable alternative to biofuels.
�
In 2024, the legislature appropriated
$6,000,000 for an integrated geothermal development plan to be administered by
the Hawaii technology development corporation under the
department of business,
economic development, and tourism
.
�
The governor subsequently reduced the appropriation
to $3,000,000.
�
Through a partnership with
the University of Hawaii, the Hawaii technology development corporation has
already begun work on an integrated geothermal development roadmap with the
concrete goal of developing the first utility scale 50- to 100-megawatt power
station on Hawaii island.
�

����
The department of business, economic development
and tourism is the appropriate department to guide the continued exploration
and identification of geothermal resources in the State.
�
Geoscience research absent the commercial lens
necessary for strategic development and investment is likely to lead to less
effective outcomes for commercial viability and will either duplicate existing
research or result in a lack of investor confidence.
�
Further development that is not informed by
quality and focused research can create additional risk and lead to decreasing
future investments, including the development of a fully commissioned geothermal
power station in the State.
�

����
Hawaii island holds the most promise for the
development of the State's first utility-scale geothermal production facility.
�
All geothermal testing performed in the State
confirms that the largest and most reliable source of geothermal energy is
located on Hawaii island.
�
Hawaii island
is also the only island that has sufficient agricultural and pastoral land to
meet the State's need to achieve food self-sufficiency and security in the
future.

����
The legislature recognizes that restoring
the original level of funding and additional moneys are needed to allow the
Hawaii technology development corporation to continue the geoscience
exploration currently underway, including developing an overall development plan
and extensive community outreach program, as well as, where possible, building
on previous investigations by the department of Hawaiian home lands and other
previous publicly available reports and existing exploration data for Hawaii island,
either as a result of geothermal resource investigations or byproducts from
other exploration and studies (for example, water exploration).

����
Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to
appropriate funds for the continued exploration and identification of
geothermal resources and commercial viability for utility-scale geothermal
production in counties with a population of less than three hundred thousand.

����
SECTION 2.
�

There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii
the sum of $6,000,000 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 the continued exploration and identification of geothermal
resources and commercial viability for utility-scale geothermal production in counties
with a population of less than three hundred thousand.

����
The sums

appropriated shall be expended by the department of business,
economic development, and tourism for the purposes of this Act.

����
SECTION 3.
�
This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2025.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

DBEDT;
Geothermal Resources; Appropriations

Description:

Appropriates
funds to the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism for continued
exploration and identification of geothermal resources and commercial viability
for utility-scale geothermal production in counties with a population of less
than 300,000.

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