SB 1648 Hawaii Senate · 2026 Regular Session

RELATING TO POWER OUTAGES.

SB 1648 requires utilities to provide compensation to customers following power outages. It directly affects residential and commercial utility customers who experience service interruptions. The bill establishes specific requirements for how and when utilities must pay compensation, though details on calculation methods aren't provided in the abstract. This policy change would create a new obligation for utilities to reimburse affected customers, effective July 1, 2050.

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Mar 2025

Senate Passage

Mar 2025

House Passage

Governor

Introduced Jan 23, 2025 Last action Dec 8, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

SB1648 → SB1648_SD1 · 4 edits

MODERATE

This bill expands compensation for power outages by adding hospitals to the list of eligible entities alongside government agencies. It also introduces a new requirement for utilities to report their existing record-keeping practices to the legislature before the next session. The effective date of the law was significantly delayed from January 1, 2026, to July 1, 2050.

Scope change

The bill's scope was expanded to explicitly include hospitals in addition to government entities for reimbursement of emergency expenses following power outages.

ELIGIBILITY

Hospitals are now explicitly included as eligible entities to receive reimbursement for emergency and contingency expenses caused by power outages.

REQUIREMENT

Utilities must submit a report to the legislature detailing their current service record-keeping practices twenty days before the start of the 2026 legislative session.

The requirement for utilities to maintain service records was clarified to specify that momentary occurrences do not need to be recorded.

TIMELINE

The effective date of the Act was changed from January 1, 2026, to July 1, 2050.

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 6, 2025

Committee

Referred to EEP, CPC, FIN, referral sheet 19

lower

Mar 4, 2025

Introduced

Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 386) in amended form (SD 1).

lower

Mar 4, 2025

Upper · Passed

Report Adopted; Passed Third Reading. Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: Senator(s) Richards. Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.

upper

Feb 20, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in JDC were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Rhoads, Chang, San Buenaventura, Awa; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Gabbard.

upper

Feb 18, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on JDC will hold a public decision making on 02-20-25 10:01AM; CR 016 & Videoconference.

upper

Feb 14, 2025

Upper · Passed

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

upper

Feb 14, 2025

Committee

Reported from CPN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 491) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to JDC.

upper

Feb 7, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on CPN recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in CPN were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) Keohokalole, Fukunaga, McKelvey, Awa; Aye(s) with reservations: Senator(s) Richards ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.

upper

Feb 6, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on CPN deleted the measure from the public hearing scheduled on 02-10-25 9:35AM; CR 229 & Videoconference.

upper

Feb 6, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on CPN has scheduled a public hearing on 02-10-25 9:35AM; Conference Room 229 & Videoconference.

upper

Jan 31, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on CPN has scheduled a public hearing on 02-07-25 9:50AM; Conference Room 229 & Videoconference.

upper

Jan 27, 2025

Committee

Referred to CPN, JDC.

upper

Jan 23, 2025

Introduced

Introduced.

upper

8 primary · 1 co-sponsor