HB 2244 Hawaii House · 2026 Regular Session

RELATING TO THE PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION.

Summary

Clarifies that, for electric utilities, "performance-based incentives" include revenue adjustment mechanisms, cost control mechanisms, rewards for superior performance, and penalties for subpar performance. Authorizes the Public Utilities Commission to adopt alternative ratemaking procedures to establish electric utility rates and performance-based incentives. Requires the Commission to apply a presumption in favor of considering historical cost trends and external indices that reflect incentives to control costs if the Commission resets an electric utility's allowed revenues based on consideration of the utility's costs. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Issues: ✓ Energy

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Jan 26, 2026 Last action Feb 18, 2026

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What changed between versions

HB2244 → HB2244_HD1 · 4 edits

MODERATE

This bill modifies the Hawaii Ratepayer Protection Act to strengthen protections against utility rate hikes by clarifying that the Public Utilities Commission must prioritize historical cost trends over future projections. It authorizes the commission to use alternative ratemaking methods and sets a distant future effective date of July 1, 3000, ensuring the new rules apply indefinitely.

Scope change

The bill expands the commission's authority to adopt alternative ratemaking procedures and explicitly requires a presumption in favor of historical cost data to prevent utilities from inflating rates based on projected future costs.

REQUIREMENT

Changed the commission's ratemaking approach to require a presumption in favor of historical cost trends rather than forecasted future costs.

Explicitly authorized the Public Utilities Commission to adopt alternative ratemaking procedures to establish utility rates and incentives.

TIMELINE

Updated the effective date of the Act from immediate approval to July 1, 3000.

TECHNICAL

Adjusted metadata including author names, document versions, and formatting codes.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Feb 18, 2026

Committee

Reported from EEP (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 447-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to CPC.

lower

Feb 12, 2026

Lower · Passed

The committee on EEP recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 7 Ayes: Representative(s) Lowen, Perruso, Chun, Kahaloa, Kusch, Quinlan, Matsumoto; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none.

lower

Jan 30, 2026

Committee

Referred to EEP, CPC, referral sheet 5

lower

Jan 28, 2026

Introduced

Introduced and Pass First Reading.

lower

Jan 26, 2026

Introduced

Pending introduction.

lower

4 primary · 0 co-sponsors