SB 391 Hawaii Senate · 2025 Regular Session

RELATING TO RECYCLING.

SB 391 establishes a new End-of-Life Lithium-ion Battery Management Working Group to study how to responsibly handle used batteries from electric vehicles and electronics. The group must produce a report for the Legislature by 2026, focusing on recycling infrastructure and safety. This bill directly affects battery manufacturers, recyclers, and future state policy on managing these batteries. It does not change current laws but sets up a process for developing future regulations, effective January 1, 2026. The bill is currently under review by the AEN committee.

Issues: ✓ Environment

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Mar 2025

Senate Passage

Feb 2025

House Passage

Governor

Introduced Jan 14, 2025 Last action Mar 18, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

SB391 → SB391_SD1 · 5 edits

MODERATE

This bill transforms SB 391 from a standard legislative draft into a Senate District 1 version by adding metadata headers and replacing the original text with a new working group provision. The substantive change replaces the original battery recycling definitions with a mandate to create a temporary working group to study lithium-ion battery management options before implementing a recycling program.

Scope change

The bill's scope shifted from establishing immediate recycling definitions and requirements to creating a study group that will analyze recycling options and submit recommendations before any program is implemented.

REQUIREMENT

Established a new End-of-Life Lithium-ion Battery Management Working Group within the Hawaii State Energy Office to study recycling options and submit a report to the legislature by early 2026.

TIMELINE

Set the working group to operate until June 30, 2026, with a report deadline of twenty days before the 2026 regular legislative session convenes.

DEFINITION

Removed the original definitions for 'covered battery,' 'electrochemical cell,' 'lithium-ion battery,' and 'motor vehicle' that were part of the initial draft.

ELIGIBILITY

Defined working group membership to include representatives from energy offices, health departments, county waste and fire departments, recycling and manufacturing industries, insurance, retailers, and consumer electronics repair.

SCOPE

Changed the bill's purpose from immediately regulating battery disposal to first conducting a feasibility study on recycling programs and comparing in-state versus out-of-state options.

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 4, 2025

Committee

Referred to EEP, CPC, referral sheet 18

lower

Feb 28, 2025

Introduced

Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 40) in amended form (SD 1).

lower

Feb 28, 2025

Upper · Passed

Report Adopted; Passed Third Reading. Ayes, 23; Aye(s) with reservations: none. Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 2 (Senator(s) Fukunaga, Kidani). Transmitted to House.

upper

Feb 20, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on CPN recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in CPN were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Keohokalole, Fukunaga, McKelvey, Awa; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Richards.

upper

Feb 14, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on CPN will hold a public decision making on 02-20-25 9:30AM; Conference Room 229 & Videoconference.

upper

Feb 14, 2025

Committee

Reported from AEN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 651) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to CPN.

upper

Feb 12, 2025

Upper · Passed

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

upper

Feb 7, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on AEN has scheduled a public hearing on 02-10-25 1:01PM; Conference Room 224 & Videoconference.

upper

Jan 21, 2025

Committee

Referred to AEN, CPN.

upper

Jan 15, 2025

Introduced

Introduced and passed First Reading.

upper

Jan 14, 2025

Introduced

Pending Introduction.

upper

7 primary · 3 co-sponsors