HB 914 Hawaii House · 2025 Regular Session

RELATING TO WATER CARRIERS.

Summary

Authorizes the Public Utilities Commission to establish automatic adjustment mechanisms. Authorizes the Public Utilities Commission to grant exemptions to any water carrier from any requirement under the Hawaii Water Carrier Act. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Bill status in committee 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Feb 2025

House Passage

Feb 2025

Senate Passage

Governor

Introduced Jan 21, 2025 Last action Feb 14, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

HB914_HD1 → HB914_HD2 · 5 edits

MODERATE

This bill introduces an automatic inflation adjustment mechanism for water carrier rates in Hawaii, allowing the Public Utilities Commission to automatically adjust rates based on changes in the Gross Domestic Product Price Index. The mechanism is capped at plus or minus five percent per year and applies starting January 1, 2026. The bill also clarifies procedural requirements for filing tariffs and grants the commission broader discretion to exempt carriers from certain requirements when deemed unjust or unreasonable.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope of rate-setting authority by introducing a new automatic adjustment mechanism that allows water carriers to change rates between formal rate cases, subject to commission approval and annual caps.

REQUIREMENT

New Section 271G-4 establishes an automatic water carrier inflationary cost index adjustment mechanism tied to the GDP Price Index, effective January 1, 2026.

Tariff filing procedures modified to allow automatic adjustment mechanism surcharge changes with only 30 days' notice instead of 45 days.

DEFINITION

New definition of 'Automatic adjustment mechanism' clarifies it allows rate changes between formal rate cases.

TIMELINE

Effective date changed from July 1, 3000 to January 1, 2026 for the automatic adjustment mechanism.

ENFORCEMENT

Commission granted broader discretion to waive or exempt water carriers from chapter requirements when requirements are found unjust, unreasonable, or not in the public interest.

Floor votes · House Feb 5, 2025

How they voted

49–0

Passed · 2 other

Total votes 51

Feb 5, 2025

D Democratic41

41 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican10

8 Yea 2

80% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Feb 14, 2025

Committee

Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on FIN as amended in HD 2 with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Matayoshi, Poepoe, Ward excused (4).

lower

Feb 14, 2025

Committee

Reported from CPC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 678) as amended in HD 2, recommending referral to FIN.

lower

Feb 11, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on CPC recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 10 Ayes: Representative(s) Matayoshi, Chun, Ilagan, Ichiyama, Iwamoto, Kong, Lowen, Marten, Tam, Pierick; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none.

lower

Feb 5, 2025

Committee

Reported from TRN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 163) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to CPC.

lower

Feb 5, 2025

House · Passed

House Vote: pass (49-0-2)

house

Feb 4, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on TRN recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 8 Ayes: Representative(s) Kila, Grandinetti, Evslin, Kitagawa, La Chica, Miyake, Muraoka, Pierick; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Cochran.

lower

Jan 23, 2025

Committee

Referred to TRN, CPC, FIN, referral sheet 3

lower

Jan 23, 2025

Introduced

Introduced and Pass First Reading.

lower

Jan 21, 2025

Introduced

Pending introduction.

lower

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors