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SB137Introduced in the Senate

Relating To Electric Utilities.

EngrossedHouse Consumer Protection & Commerce

Introduced by Jarrett Keohokalole, District 24

What does this bill do?

Plain-English breakdown

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Official 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)

Where it stands

Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.

December 8, 2025

How did lawmakers vote?

SenateStage: Senate Judiciary: Passed, With Amendments · February 26, 2025

5

Yes

0

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?

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See how each senator voted

SenatorDistrictVote
Joy San Buenaventura2Yes
Stanley Chang9Yes
Karl Rhoads13Yes
Mike Gabbard21Yes
Brenton Awa23Yes

Bill history

  1. Pending Introduction.

  2. Introduced and passed First Reading.

  3. Referred to CPN, JDC/WAM.

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

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

  6. 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.

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

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

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

  10. 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.

  11. 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.

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

  13. 48 Hrs. Notice 03-04-25.

  14. 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.

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

  16. Pass First Reading

  17. Referred to EEP, CPC, FIN, referral sheet 19

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

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

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

  21. 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.

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

  23. 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).

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

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

  26. Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.

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