HR 158 Hawaii House · 2026 Regular Session

REQUEST THE PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION TO DEVELOP A TEMPORARY WORKING GROUP TO STUDY THE CURRENT CAPACITY OF UTILITY SERVICES, THE EXPECTED LIFESPAN OF EXISTING COASTLINE INFRASTRUCTURE, AND THE FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS OF NECESSARY EXPANSIONS.

This bill asks Hawaii's Public Utilities Commission to create a temporary working group to study the state's utility infrastructure, particularly in the City and County of Honolulu. The group will examine how well current utility systems can handle demand, how long existing coastal infrastructure is expected to last, and the costs of expanding services to support community growth. The working group includes representatives from government agencies, utility companies, and labor unions, and will produce an assessment of infrastructure capacity, lifespan risks, funding needs, and any permit-related strain on systems. This study aims to provide data for better community planning and ensure utility services can meet current and future demands.

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Mar 2026

Committee Review

Apr 2026

House Passage

Apr 2026

Senate Passage

Governor

Introduced Mar 16, 2026 Last action Apr 2, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

HR158 → HR158_HD1 · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill was amended to expand its scope from a general statewide study to a specific mandate for the City and County of Honolulu. The composition of the temporary working group was significantly restructured to include new government officials (such as the Director of Transportation and Emergency Management) and consumer advocates, while replacing some original utility representatives with legislative appointees. The list of entities receiving official copies of the resolution was also updated to reflect these new participants.

Scope change

The bill's scope was narrowed from a general statewide inquiry to a specific mandate applicable only to the City and County of Honolulu.

SCOPE

The bill was changed to apply specifically to the City and County of Honolulu, replacing the original general reference to the state.

REQUIREMENT

New members were added to the working group, including the Consumer Advocate, Director of Transportation, Director of Emergency Management, and Director of Land and Natural Resources.

The role of the Public Utilities Commission Chair was clarified as the designated Chair of the working group.

Legislative representatives from the State House and State Senate were added to the working group, appointed by the Speaker and President of the Senate respectively.

The list of recipients for certified copies of the resolution was updated to include the new working group members and specific utility executives.

Floor votes

How they voted

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

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Apr 2, 2026

Lower · Passed

Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on FIN as amended in HD 1 with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and none excused (0).

lower

Apr 2, 2026

Committee

Reported from CPC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1762-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending referral to FIN.

lower

Mar 31, 2026

Lower · Passed

The committee on CPC recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 8 Ayes: Representative(s) Matayoshi, Grandinetti, Chun, Ilagan, Iwamoto, Kong, Marten, Pierick; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 3 Excused: Representative(s) Ichiyama, Lowen, Tam.

lower

Mar 18, 2026

Committee

Referred to CPC, FIN, referral sheet 19

lower

Mar 16, 2026

Introduced

Offered

lower

8 primary · 0 co-sponsors