SR 115 Hawaii Senate · 2025 Regular Session

REQUESTING THE HAWAII STATE ENERGY OFFICE TO CONVENE A GEOTHERMAL ENERGY WORKING GROUP TO EVALUATE THE REGULATORY AND POLICY LANDSCAPE SURROUNDING GEOTHERMAL ENERGY IN HAWAII.

This Senate Resolution (SR 115) requests the Hawaii State Energy Office to convene a Geothermal Energy Working Group. The group would evaluate Hawaii's current rules and policies affecting geothermal energy development, particularly to address regulatory barriers and permit challenges. The working group would include state agency leaders, county representatives, industry stakeholders, and community advocates. This resolution does not create new laws but aims to coordinate a review process to support Hawaii's renewable energy goals. It directly affects state agencies, local governments, and geothermal developers by initiating a structured evaluation of the policy environment.

Issues: ✓ Energy ✓ Environment

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Mar 2025

Committee Review

Apr 2025

Senate Passage

Apr 2025

House Passage

Governor

Introduced Mar 7, 2025 Last action Apr 3, 2025

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What changed between versions

SR115 → SR115_SD1 · 7 edits

MODERATE

The bill was reformatted from a traditional legislative document into a structured digital template, with substantive changes to the working group composition and reporting timeline. The most significant policy change is the addition of new stakeholder categories including a consumer advocacy representative, Native Hawaiian community representative, and specific standing committee chairs, while removing the University of Hawaii Planning Department representative. The reporting deadline was extended from 2026 to 2027, providing more time for the working group to complete its evaluation.

Scope change

The scope expanded to include broader stakeholder representation by adding consumer advocacy and Native Hawaiian community representatives, while the applicability timeline was extended by one year.

ELIGIBILITY

Added a representative from the Division of Consumer Advocacy to ensure consumer protection perspectives are included in the working group.

Added a representative from the Native Hawaiian community to ensure cultural and indigenous perspectives are included in the working group.

Added Chairpersons of Senate and House Standing Committees with energy subject matter purview to ensure legislative oversight representation.

Removed the representative from the Department of Planning and Permitting of the City and County of Honolulu, replacing it with the Division of Consumer Advocacy representative.

Removed the representative from the University of Hawaii Groundwater and Geothermal Resources Center from the working group membership list.

TIMELINE

Extended the working group's reporting deadline from twenty days prior to the 2026 Regular Session to twenty days prior to the 2027 Regular Session.

TECHNICAL

Converted the document from traditional legislative formatting to a structured digital template with metadata fields.

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Apr 3, 2025

Upper · Passed

Report and Resolution Adopted as amended (SD1). Aye(s) with reservations: none. Noes, 1 (Senator(s) Awa).

upper

Apr 2, 2025

Upper · Passed

Reported from EIG (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1546) with recommendation of adoption, as amended (SD 1).

upper

Mar 25, 2025

Upper · Passed

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, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Richards.

upper

Mar 21, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on EIG has scheduled a public hearing on 03-25-25 3:01PM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference.

upper

Mar 12, 2025

Committee

Referred to EIG.

upper

Mar 7, 2025

Introduced

Offered.

upper

8 primary · 1 co-sponsor