STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1245

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: S.B. No. 191

S.D. 1

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committees on Energy & Environmental Protection and Human Services & Homelessness, to which was referred S.B. No. 191, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ENERGY ASSISTANCE,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Establish and appropriate funds for the Hawaii Home Energy Assistance Program to assist eligible households in paying for their energy bills; and

(2) Require the Public Utilities Commission Public Benefits Fee Administrator to provide certain information and assistance to recipients of the Program.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs; Department of Human Services; Public Utilities Commission; Hawaiian Electric; Catholic Charities Hawaiʻi; Life of the Land; Hawaiʻi Energy; Hawaiʻi Workers Center; Hawaii Climate Change and Health Working Group; Coalition Earth; Ohana Unity Party; and four individuals. Your Committees received comments on this measure from Tax Foundation of Hawaii.

Your Committees find that Hawaii's high electricity rates create a financial burden for many residents, particularly low-income households. Existing energy assistance programs serve only a small fraction of eligible families due to limited funding and outdated federal allocation formulas. This measure expands financial support options to cover rising energy costs.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the appropriation to an unspecified amount;

(2) Changing the number of positions established to unspecified numbers;

(3) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

(4) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

Your Committees respectfully request your Committee on Finance, should it deliberate on this measure, to consider:

(1) An appropriation amount of $5,000,000; and

(2) One full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) position and two full-time equivalent (2.0 FTE) temporary positions.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Energy & Environmental Protection and Human Services & Homelessness that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 191, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 191, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Energy & Environmental Protection and Human Services & Homelessness,

____________________________ LISA MARTEN, Chair

____________________________ NICOLE E. LOWEN, Chair