SB 137 Hawaii Senate · 2026 Regular Session

RELATING TO ELECTRIC UTILITIES.

Summary

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)

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Mar 2025

Senate Passage

Mar 2025

House Passage

Governor

Introduced Jan 10, 2025 Last action Dec 8, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

SB137_SD1 → SB137_SD2 · 4 edits

MODERATE

This bill was revised to shift the Public Utilities Commission's role from mandating specific approval conditions to evaluating whether mergers further the state's renewable energy goals. The revision also strengthens protections for workers by adding a requirement to retain employees and prohibiting forced layoffs, while removing a blanket ban on proposed changes to renewable energy standards.

Scope change

The bill's scope regarding renewable energy protections was narrowed from a strict prohibition on adverse changes to a discretionary review of whether the deal supports state goals.

REQUIREMENT

Changed the Public Utilities Commission's mandate from requiring specific conditions on utility mergers to simply considering if the merger supports the state's renewable energy goals.

Added a new requirement that acquiring entities must retain all covered employees and cannot induce layoffs or terminate employees except for cause.

Removed the strict prohibition preventing acquiring entities from proposing changes that would harm renewable portfolio standards or reduce the commission's penalty authority.

DEFINITION

Updated the definition of 'covered employee' to clarify the timing of the collective bargaining agreement as 'immediately before' the acquisition.

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

Mar 14, 2025

Committee

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

lower

Mar 12, 2025

Lower · Passed

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.

lower

Mar 6, 2025

Committee

Referred to EEP, CPC, FIN, referral sheet 19

lower

Mar 4, 2025

Introduced

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

lower

Mar 4, 2025

Upper · Passed

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.

upper

Feb 26, 2025

Upper · Passed

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.

upper

Feb 26, 2025

Upper · Passed

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.

upper

Feb 21, 2025

Upper · Passed

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

upper

Feb 10, 2025

Upper · Passed

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

upper

Feb 10, 2025

Committee

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

upper

Jan 31, 2025

Upper · Passed

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.

upper

Jan 23, 2025

Upper · Passed

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

upper

Jan 17, 2025

Committee

Referred to CPN, JDC/WAM.

upper

Jan 15, 2025

Introduced

Introduced and passed First Reading.

upper

Jan 10, 2025

Introduced

Pending Introduction.

upper

7 primary · 2 co-sponsors