Bill Commons

HI SB 137

died on adjournment

RELATING TO ELECTRIC UTILITIES.

Hawaii · 2026 Regular Session · upper

Quick answers

Did HI SB 137 pass?

No. HI SB 137 died when the 2026 Regular Session adjourned without final action on it. Bills that die this way are sometimes reintroduced in a later session. Latest recorded action (2025-12-08): Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.

What is HI SB 137 about?

Requires the Public Utilities Commission to consider whether approving a proposed merger or acquisition would or would not further the State's renewable energy goals. Prohibits the acquiring entity of an electric utility company from terminating or attempting to renegotiate any existing and valid power purchase agreements and requires the acquiring entity to assume and be bound by existing collective bargaining agreements and retain all covered employees. Establishes a process to ensure that when an electric utility is subject to an application for a proposed acquisition, merger, or consolidation by a potential acquiring entity that is an investor-owned utility and seeks approval of the application from the Public Utilities Commission, the electric utility shall demonstrate that it solicited bids from potential acquiring entities that operate under a non-investor-owned utility ownership model. Requires the electric utility to submit acceptable bids from a potential acquiring entity operating under a non-investor-owned utility ownership model concurrently with an application by a potential acquiring entity that is an investor-owned utility and the Public Utilities Commission to review those applications concurrently. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Who sponsors HI SB 137?

KEOHOKALOLE, AQUINO, CHANG and 4 others are the primary sponsors of HI SB 137, joined by 2 cosponsors.

Description

Requires the Public Utilities Commission to consider whether approving a proposed merger or acquisition would or would not further the State's renewable energy goals. Prohibits the acquiring entity of an electric utility company from terminating or attempting to renegotiate any existing and valid power purchase agreements and requires the acquiring entity to assume and be bound by existing collective bargaining agreements and retain all covered employees. Establishes a process to ensure that when an electric utility is subject to an application for a proposed acquisition, merger, or consolidation by a potential acquiring entity that is an investor-owned utility and seeks approval of the application from the Public Utilities Commission, the electric utility shall demonstrate that it solicited bids from potential acquiring entities that operate under a non-investor-owned utility ownership model. Requires the electric utility to submit acceptable bids from a potential acquiring entity operating under a non-investor-owned utility ownership model concurrently with an application by a potential acquiring entity that is an investor-owned utility and the Public Utilities Commission to review those applications concurrently. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Introduced
2025-01-15
Latest action
2025-12-08 — Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
Bill type
bill
Last updated
—

Subjects

Sponsors

  • KEOHOKALOLEprimary
  • AQUINOprimary
  • CHANGprimary
  • DECOITEprimary
  • HASHIMOTOprimary
  • RHOADSprimary
  • RICHARDSprimary
  • San Buenaventuracosponsor
  • Wakaicosponsor

Committees

Not provided by source.

Action timeline

  1. 2025-12-08

    Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.

    carried-over

  2. 2025-03-19

    The committee(s) on CPC recommend(s) that the measure be deferred.

    deferral

  3. 2025-03-14

    Bill scheduled to be heard by CPC on Wednesday, 03-19-25 2:00PM in House conference room 329 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.

  4. 2025-03-14

    Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on CPC with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Pierick voting no (1) and Representative(s) Cochran, Holt, Iwamoto, Ward excused (4).

    reading-2,referral-committee

  5. 2025-03-14

    Reported from EEP (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1246) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to CPC.

  6. 2025-03-12

    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.

    committee-passage-favorable

  7. 2025-03-11

    Bill scheduled for decision making on Wednesday, 03-12-25 11:15AM in conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.

  8. 2025-03-11

    The committee(s) on EEP recommend(s) that the measure be deferred until 03-12-25 11:15AM.

    deferral

  9. 2025-03-07

    Bill scheduled to be heard by EEP on Tuesday, 03-11-25 9:00AM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.

  10. 2025-03-06

    Referred to EEP, CPC, FIN, referral sheet 19

    referral-committee

  11. 2025-03-06

    Pass First Reading

    reading-1

  12. 2025-03-04

    Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 96) in amended form (SD 2).

    introduction,receipt

  13. 2025-03-04

    Report adopted; Passed Third Reading, as amended (SD 2). Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none . Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.

    passage

  14. 2025-02-28

    48 Hrs. Notice 03-04-25.

  15. 2025-02-28

    Reported from JDC/WAM (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 985) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading, as amended (SD 2).

  16. 2025-02-26

    The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in WAM were as follows: 13 Aye(s): Senator(s) Dela Cruz, Moriwaki, Aquino, DeCoite, Elefante, Hashimoto, Inouye, Kanuha, Kidani, Kim, Lee, C., Wakai, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.

    committee-passage-favorable

  17. 2025-02-26

    The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in JDC were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) Rhoads, Gabbard, Chang, San Buenaventura, Awa; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.

    committee-passage-favorable

  18. 2025-02-21

    The committee(s) on JDC/WAM will hold a public decision making on 02-26-25 10:05AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference.

  19. 2025-02-10

    Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to JDC/WAM.

    passage,reading-2,referral-committee

  20. 2025-02-10

    Reported from CPN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 165) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to JDC/WAM.

  21. 2025-01-31

    The committee(s) on CPN recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in CPN were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Keohokalole, Fukunaga, McKelvey; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 2 Excused: Senator(s) Richards, Awa.

    committee-passage-favorable

  22. 2025-01-28

    The committee(s) on CPN deferred the measure until 01-31-25 9:35AM; Conference Room 229.

    deferral

  23. 2025-01-23

    The committee(s) on CPN has scheduled a public hearing on 01-28-25 9:30AM; Conference Room 229 & Videoconference.

  24. 2025-01-17

    Referred to CPN, JDC/WAM.

    referral-committee

  25. 2025-01-15

    Introduced and passed First Reading.

    introduction,reading-1

  26. 2025-01-10

    Pending Introduction.

Versions

Documents

Votes

  • The committee(s) on CPN recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS.

    2025-01-31 · pass · 3-0

    Member-level votes (5)
    • Keohokalole: yes
    • Fukunaga: yes
    • McKelvey: yes
    • Richards: not voting
    • Awa: not voting

  • The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS.

    2025-02-26 · pass · 13-0

    Member-level votes (14)
    • Dela Cruz: yes
    • Moriwaki: yes
    • Aquino: yes
    • DeCoite: yes
    • Elefante: yes
    • Hashimoto: yes
    • Inouye: yes
    • Kanuha: yes
    • Kidani: yes
    • Kim: yes
    • Lee: yes
    • C: yes
    • Wakai: yes
    • Fevella: yes

  • The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS.

    2025-02-26 · pass · 5-0

    Member-level votes (5)
    • Rhoads: yes
    • Gabbard: yes
    • Chang: yes
    • San Buenaventura: yes
    • Awa: yes

  • Report adopted; Passed Third Reading, as amended (SD 2).

    2025-03-04 · pass · 25-0

  • The committee on EEP recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS.

    2025-03-12 · pass · 4-0

    Member-level votes (6)
    • Lowen: yes
    • Perruso: yes
    • Kahaloa: yes
    • Kusch: yes
    • Quinlan: not voting
    • Ward: not voting

Related bills

Official source

https://capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=SB&billnumber=137&year=2026

Attribution

Data from openstates_bulk_csv, retrieved 2026-07-24T05:20:09.051962Z

Inspect retained evidence for changes recorded after evidence tracking began:

Source and document changesStatus and relationship changes

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