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HB974Introduced in the House

Relating To Energy.

Engrossed

Introduced by Nicole Lowen, District 7

What does this bill do?

Plain-English breakdown

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Official description

Requires the Department of Budget and Finance to enter into step-in agreements for payment obligations arising under certain power purchase agreements. Establishes the Power Purchase Costs Trust Fund. Establishes that money collected from on-bill charges for power purchase agreements and money received from a surcharge supporting a reserve account that are deposited in the Trust Fund shall be held in trust by the State, and that independent power producers shall hold a beneficial interest in the moneys to the extent of the amounts owed under the covered power purchase agreements. Appoints, authorizes, and empowers an electric utility to serve as the billing, collection, and payment agent of the Department of Budget and Finance in the service of performing step-in agreements. (SD1)

Where it stands

Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.

December 8, 2025

How did lawmakers vote?

SenateStage: Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection: Passed, With Amendments · March 20, 2025

4

Yes

1

No

0

Absent or Not Voting

5 senators recorded in this Senate vote. Colors show vote categories only, not whether a vote was good or bad.

What do people think?

Citizen Voice

How would you vote on this bill?

An unofficial public opinion poll. It does not affect the bill or the official vote.

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See how each senator voted

SenatorDistrictVote
Tim Richards4Yes
Angus McKelvey6Yes
Carol Fukunaga11Yes
Brenton Awa23No
Jarrett Keohokalole24Yes

Bill history

  1. Pending introduction.

  2. Introduced and Pass First Reading.

  3. Referred to EEP, FIN, referral sheet 3

  4. Bill scheduled to be heard by EEP on Thursday, 01-30-25 9:00AM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.

  5. The committee(s) on EEP recommend(s) that the measure be deferred until 02-06-25.

  6. Bill scheduled for decision making on Thursday, 02-06-25 9:01AM in conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.

  7. The committee(s) on EEP recommend(s) that the measure be deferred until 02-11-25 10:20AM.

  8. Bill scheduled for decision making on Tuesday, 02-11-25 10:20AM in conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.

  9. The committee(s) on EEP recommend(s) that the measure be deferred until 02-13-25 10:15AM.

  10. Bill scheduled for decision making on Thursday, 02-13-25 10:15AM in conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.

  11. 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; 0 Noes: none; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Quinlan, Ward.

  12. Reported from EEP (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 769) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN.

  13. Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on FIN with Representative(s) Amato, Garcia voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Matayoshi, Poepoe, Ward excused (4).

  14. Bill scheduled to be heard by FIN on Thursday, 02-20-25 12:00PM in House conference room 308 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.

  15. 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, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Alcos, Ward.

  16. Reported from FIN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 886), recommending passage on Third Reading.

  17. Passed Third Reading with Representative(s) Amato, Garcia voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Pierick, Templo, Ward excused (4). Transmitted to Senate.

  18. Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 45).

  19. Passed First Reading.

  20. Referred to EIG/CPN, WAM.

  21. The committee(s) on EIG/CPN has scheduled a public hearing on 03-20-25 9:30AM; Conference Room 229 & Videoconference.

  22. The committee(s) on CPN recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in CPN were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Keohokalole, Richards; Aye(s) with reservations: Senator(s) Fukunaga, McKelvey ; 1 No(es): Senator(s) Awa; and 0 Excused: none.

  23. The committee(s) on EIG recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in EIG were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Wakai, Chang, DeCoite, Richards; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Fevella.

  24. Reported from EIG/CPN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1348) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.

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

  26. The committee(s) on WAM will hold a public decision making on 03-28-25 10:02AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference.

  27. The committee(s) on WAM deferred the measure until 04-03-25 10:02AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference.

  28. The committee on WAM deferred the measure.

  29. Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.

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