THE SENATE S.B. NO. 700 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025 S.D. 1 STATE OF HAWAII A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO RENEWABLE ENERGY. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
THE SENATE S.B. NO. 700
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025 S.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII
THE SENATE
S.B. NO.
700
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025
S.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII
A BILL FOR AN ACT
RELATING TO RENEWABLE ENERGY.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the State has long recognized its responsibility to mitigate the effects of natural and man-made emergencies, which can result in extreme peril to life, property, and the resources of the State, and generally to protect the health and safety and preserve the lives and property of the people of the State. In 2021, the legislature made history by becoming the first state in the nation to declare a climate emergency. S.C.R. No. 44, S.D. 1, H.D. 1 (2021), acknowledged that an existential climate emergency threatens humanity and the natural world, declared a climate emergency, and requested statewide collaboration toward an immediate, just transition and emergency mobilization effort to restore a safe climate. The resolution requested that entities statewide pursue these climate mitigation and adaptation efforts and mobilize at the necessary scale and speed. The legislature further finds that the growing climate crisis threatens the health and well-being of the public through the impacts of extreme weather events. Most recently, the horrific losses caused by the 2023 Maui wildfires clearly demonstrated the need for the State to reduce wildfire ignition risk and build grid resiliency, which can be significantly aided by distributed rooftop solar and energy storage. Stronger storms as a result of climate change are more likely to cause power outages and down power lines and, in addition to the risk of sparking wildfires, can be costly in terms of lives lost, economic impact, and effects on public health. Furthermore, extreme weather events can result in severe damage to port infrastructure at the State's harbors, resulting in disruption and ceasing of port activity, and cutting off the ability of cargo shipments, including emergency supplies, to be received. Therefore, the legislature finds that building the State's resilience against the effects of climate change is in the best interests of the people of Hawaii. To ensure that preparations within the State will be adequate to deal with these emergencies, particularly in situations where there has been disruption to the electric grid and port activity, the legislature finds that state agencies should have the ability to have full-functioning capabilities toward recovery efforts. Maintaining electricity at state facilities is therefore paramount in these recovery efforts. Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to require the Hawaii state energy office, with assistance from applicable state departments, to assess the feasibility of developing resilience hubs that can provide emergency services and be open to the general public during times of emergency and submit a report of the office's findings. SECTION 2. (a) The Hawaii state energy office shall collaborate with state agencies to assess the feasibility of developing resilience hubs, which may be located at public or private facilities, and when feasible, shall utilize renewable energy, that can provide emergency services and be open to the general public during times of emergency. (b) The Hawaii state energy office shall submit a report of the findings and recommendations of the feasibility study, including any proposed legislation, to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2026. (c) For purposes of this section, "resilience hub" means any facility that is open to the general public for the purpose of providing emergency response services, including but not limited to shelter, food, water, medicine, emergency or urgent care medical services, energy, electricity, telecommunications, internet access, fuel, and electric vehicle charging." SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect January 1, 2491.
SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the State has long recognized its responsibility to mitigate the effects of natural and man-made emergencies, which can result in extreme peril to life, property, and the resources of the State, and generally to protect the health and safety and preserve the lives and property of the people of the State. In 2021, the legislature made history by becoming the first state in the nation to declare a climate emergency. S.C.R. No. 44, S.D. 1, H.D. 1 (2021), acknowledged that an existential climate emergency threatens humanity and the natural world, declared a climate emergency, and requested statewide collaboration toward an immediate, just transition and emergency mobilization effort to restore a safe climate. The resolution requested that entities statewide pursue these climate mitigation and adaptation efforts and mobilize at the necessary scale and speed.
The legislature further finds that the growing climate crisis threatens the health and well-being of the public through the impacts of extreme weather events. Most recently, the horrific losses caused by the 2023 Maui wildfires clearly demonstrated the need for the State to reduce wildfire ignition risk and build grid resiliency, which can be significantly aided by distributed rooftop solar and energy storage. Stronger storms as a result of climate change are more likely to cause power outages and down power lines and, in addition to the risk of sparking wildfires, can be costly in terms of lives lost, economic impact, and effects on public health. Furthermore, extreme weather events can result in severe damage to port infrastructure at the State's harbors, resulting in disruption and ceasing of port activity, and cutting off the ability of cargo shipments, including emergency supplies, to be received. Therefore, the legislature finds that building the State's resilience against the effects of climate change is in the best interests of the people of Hawaii.
To ensure that preparations within the State will be adequate to deal with these emergencies, particularly in situations where there has been disruption to the electric grid and port activity, the legislature finds that state agencies should have the ability to have full-functioning capabilities toward recovery efforts. Maintaining electricity at state facilities is therefore paramount in these recovery efforts.
Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to require the Hawaii state energy office, with assistance from applicable state departments, to assess the feasibility of developing resilience hubs that can provide emergency services and be open to the general public during times of emergency and submit a report of the office's findings.
SECTION 2. (a) The Hawaii state energy office shall collaborate with state agencies to assess the feasibility of developing resilience hubs, which may be located at public or private facilities, and when feasible, shall utilize renewable energy, that can provide emergency services and be open to the general public during times of emergency.
(b) The Hawaii state energy office shall submit a report of the findings and recommendations of the feasibility study, including any proposed legislation, to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2026.
(c) For purposes of this section, "resilience hub" means any facility that is open to the general public for the purpose of providing emergency response services, including but not limited to shelter, food, water, medicine, emergency or urgent care medical services, energy, electricity, telecommunications, internet access, fuel, and electric vehicle charging."
SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect January 1, 2491.
Report Title: HSEO; Renewable Energy; State Facilities; Resilience Hubs; Feasibility; Report Description: Requires the Hawaii State Energy Office, in collaboration with state departments, to assess the potential and feasibility of developing resilience hubs that can provide emergency services and be open to the general public during times of emergency. Requires a report to the Legislature. Effective 1/1/2491. (SD1) The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.
Report Title:
HSEO; Renewable Energy; State Facilities; Resilience Hubs; Feasibility; Report
Description:
Requires the Hawaii State Energy Office, in collaboration with state departments, to assess the potential and feasibility of developing resilience hubs that can provide emergency services and be open to the general public during times of emergency. Requires a report to the Legislature. Effective 1/1/2491. (SD1)
The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.