SB 1269 Hawaii Senate · 2025 Regular Session

RELATING TO GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES.

Summary

Appropriates funds to the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism for continued exploration and identification of geothermal resources and commercial viability for utility-scale geothermal production in counties with a population of less than 300,000, with certain limitations. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Issues: ✓ Energy

Bill status passed both 4 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Apr 2025

Senate Passage

Feb 2025

House Passage

Apr 2025

Governor

Introduced Jan 21, 2025 Last action Apr 21, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

SB1269_HD2 → SB1269_SD1 · 4 edits

MODERATE

This bill was revised to clarify its purpose and extend its effective date. The most significant change is moving the effective date from July 1, 3000 to July 1, 2050, which appears to be a placeholder or error that needs correction. The bill also added language about food security and agricultural land on Hawaii Island, and slightly reworded several sections for clarity.

Scope change

The bill's scope remains focused on geothermal resource exploration in counties with populations under 300,000, but the text now explicitly mentions Hawaii Island's unique agricultural and pastoral land as relevant to food self-sufficiency goals.

TIMELINE

The effective date was changed from July 1, 3000 to July 1, 2050, which is likely an error requiring legislative correction.

SCOPE

Added language recognizing Hawaii Island's agricultural and pastoral land as necessary for achieving food self-sufficiency and security.

TEXT_CLARIFICATION

Several sections were reworded for clarity, including changing 'is' to 'are' for subject-verb agreement and updating references from 'reports' to 'existing exploration data'.

REPORTING

The report description was updated to reflect the new effective date of July 1, 2050 instead of July 1, 3000.

Floor votes · Senate Feb 18, 2025

How they voted

13–0

Passed · 1 other

Total votes 14

Feb 18, 2025

D Democratic13

12 Yea 1

92% Yea

R Republican1

1 Yea

100% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Apr 8, 2025

Amended

Senate disagrees with House amendments.

upper

Apr 8, 2025

Introduced

Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 602).

upper

Apr 4, 2025

Lower · Passed

Passed Third Reading with Representative(s) Amato, Iwamoto, Reyes Oda voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Alcos, Garcia, Matsumoto, Muraoka, Pierick, Shimizu voting no (6) and Representative(s) Cochran, Kapela excused (2). Transmitted to Senate.

lower

Apr 1, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 14 Ayes: Representative(s) Yamashita, Takenouchi, Grandinetti, Holt, Hussey, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kitagawa, Kusch, Lamosao, Lee, M., Miyake, Morikawa, Templo; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Reyes Oda; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Alcos.

lower

Mar 21, 2025

Committee

Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on FIN as amended in HD 2 with Representative(s) Garcia, Reyes Oda voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Amato, Muraoka, Pierick, Shimizu voting no (4) and Representative(s) Cochran, Garrett, Kapela, Kitagawa, Ward excused (5).

lower

Mar 21, 2025

Committee

Reported from CPC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1501) as amended in HD 2, recommending referral to FIN.

lower

Mar 19, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on CPC recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 6 Ayes: Representative(s) Matayoshi, Chun, Ichiyama, Kong, Lowen, Tam; Ayes with reservations: none; 2 Noes: Representative(s) Iwamoto, Pierick; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Ilagan, Marten.

lower

Mar 14, 2025

Committee

Reported from EEP/ECD (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1267) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to CPC.

lower

Mar 13, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on ECD recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 6 Ayes: Representative(s) Ilagan, Tam, Templo, Todd, Matsumoto; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Hussey; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Holt.

lower

Mar 13, 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 4, 2025

Committee

Referred to EEP/ECD, CPC, FIN, referral sheet 18

lower

Feb 28, 2025

Introduced

Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 52) in amended form (SD 1).

lower

Feb 28, 2025

Upper · Passed

Report Adopted; Passed Third Reading. Ayes, 22; Aye(s) with reservations: none. Noes, 1 (Senator(s) Awa). Excused, 2 (Senator(s) Fukunaga, Kidani). Transmitted to House.

upper

Feb 18, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in WAM were as follows: 12 Aye(s): Senator(s) Dela Cruz, Moriwaki, Aquino, Elefante, Hashimoto, Inouye, Kanuha, Kidani, Kim, Lee, C., Wakai, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) DeCoite.

upper

Feb 18, 2025

Senate · Passed

Senate Vote: pass (13-0-1)

senate

Feb 14, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on WAM will hold a public decision making on 02-18-25 10:01AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference.

upper

Feb 12, 2025

Committee

Reported from EDT (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 394) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.

upper

Feb 4, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on EDT recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in EDT were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) DeCoite, Wakai, Fukunaga, Kim; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 1 No(es): Senator(s) Awa; and 0 Excused: none.

upper

Jan 30, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on EDT has scheduled a public hearing on 02-04-25 1:00PM; Conference Room 229 & Videoconference.

upper

Jan 27, 2025

Committee

Referred to EDT, WAM.

upper

Jan 23, 2025

Introduced

Introduced and passed First Reading.

upper

Jan 21, 2025

Introduced

Pending Introduction.

upper

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors