HCR 58 Hawaii House · 2025 Regular Session

REQUESTING THE HAWAII STATE ENERGY OFFICE TO CONVENE A GEOTHERMAL ENERGY WORKING GROUP TO EVALUATE THE REGULATORY AND POLICY LANDSCAPE SURROUNDING GEOTHERMAL ENERGY IN HAWAII.

HCR 58 is a concurrent resolution requesting the Hawaii State Energy Office to form a working group focused on geothermal energy. The working group, including state agency leaders, county planners, industry representatives, and community stakeholders, will evaluate regulatory barriers, permitting challenges, and policy gaps affecting geothermal development. It will assess geothermal’s potential to support Hawaii’s renewable energy goals and provide recommendations for policy reforms by early 2026. This resolution does not create new laws but directs an evaluation to address existing hurdles in developing geothermal energy.

Issues: ✓ Energy ✓ Environment

Bill status passed both 4 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Mar 2025

Committee Review

Apr 2025

House Passage

Apr 2025

Senate Passage

Apr 2025

Governor

Introduced Mar 6, 2025 Last action Apr 15, 2025

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What changed between versions

HCR58 → HCR58_HD1 · 6 edits

MODERATE

The bill was reformatted from a traditional legislative document into a structured digital template with metadata fields, while substantially expanding the working group membership to include new stakeholders like the Director of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, standing committee chairs, and representatives from the geothermal industry. The report submission deadline was extended from 2026 to 2027, providing more time for evaluation. These changes broaden stakeholder engagement and allow for a more thorough assessment of geothermal energy policy.

Scope change

The scope of the working group was expanded to include additional state agencies and committee leadership, broadening the range of perspectives considered in the evaluation.

REQUIREMENT

Added the Director of Commerce and Consumer Affairs as a required working group member, expanding agency representation.

Added chairs of Senate and House standing committees with energy purview as required members, ensuring legislative oversight.

Added a representative from the geothermal industry to ensure private sector input.

Updated the list of recipients for certified copies to include the Director of Commerce and Consumer Affairs.

TIMELINE

Extended the report submission deadline from twenty days before the 2026 Regular Session to twenty days before the 2027 Regular Session.

TECHNICAL

Converted document from traditional legislative format to structured digital template with metadata fields.

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

Apr 15, 2025

Lower · Passed

Resolution adopted in final form.

lower

Apr 15, 2025

Upper · Passed

Report and Resolution Adopted. Aye(s) with reservations: none. Noes, 1 (Senator(s) Awa). Transmitted to House.

upper

Apr 14, 2025

Upper · Passed

Reported from EIG (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1872) with recommendation of adoption.

upper

Apr 10, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on EIG recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in EIG were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Wakai, Chang, DeCoite, Richards; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Fevella.

upper

Apr 7, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on EIG has scheduled a public hearing on 04-10-25 3:00PM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference.

upper

Apr 4, 2025

Committee

Referred to EIG.

upper

Apr 4, 2025

Introduced

Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 512).

upper

Apr 3, 2025

Lower · Passed

Adopted with Representative(s) Iwamoto voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Woodson excused (2).

lower

Apr 3, 2025

Lower · Passed

Reported from CPC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1833), recommending adoption.

lower

Apr 1, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on CPC recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 8 Ayes: Representative(s) Matayoshi, Chun, Ichiyama, Kong, Lowen, Marten, Pierick; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Iwamoto; 0 Noes: none; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Ilagan, Tam.

lower

Mar 28, 2025

Committee

Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on CPC as amended in HD 1 with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Hussey, Muraoka, Ward excused (4).

lower

Mar 28, 2025

Committee

Reported from EEP (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1675) as amended in HD 1, recommending referral to CPC.

lower

Mar 18, 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; 0 Noes: none; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Quinlan, Ward.

lower

Mar 14, 2025

Committee

Referred to EEP, CPC, referral sheet 22

lower

Mar 6, 2025

Introduced

Offered

lower

9 primary · 0 co-sponsors