HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
THE THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE
REGULAR SESSION OF 2026
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Rep. Nicole E. Lowen, Chair |
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Rep. Amy A. Perruso, Vice Chair |
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Rep. Cory M. Chun |
Rep. Sean Quinlan |
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Rep. Kirstin Kahaloa |
Rep. Lauren Matsumoto |
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Rep. Matthias Kusch |
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NOTICE OF HEARING
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DATE: |
Thursday, February 5, 2026 |
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TIME: |
9 a.m. |
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PLACE: |
VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE Conference Room 325 State Capitol 415 South Beretania Street |
Click here to submit testimony and to testify remotely or in person.
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Click here for the live stream of this meeting via YouTube.
A G E N D A
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RELATING TO THE ENVIRONMENT. Beginning 7/1/2027, requires newly installed or modified individual wastewater systems that are near the shoreline or on highly porous soils to include denitrification capacity. Requires the Department of Health to provide appropriate reductions in requirements to leach fields and wastewater systems with denitrification capacity.
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EEP, WAL, FIN |
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RELATING TO CESSPOOL CONVERSIONS. Establishes and appropriates funds for a cesspool conversion loan special fund, to be administered by the Hawaii Green Infrastructure Authority, to provide low-interest loans to eligible homeowners for the upgrade, conversion, or connection of cesspools.
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EEP, FIN |
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RELATING TO CESSPOOLS. PART II: Allows certain extensions of the deadline for cesspool conversions. PART III: Authorizes and appropriates funds to the Department of Health to retain qualified consultants as necessary to identify necessary public outreach and education resources and tools and develop a comprehensive public outreach strategy and website to educate homeowners and wastewater industry professionals about information and resources regarding the State's cesspool upgrade, conversion, and connection requirements and deadlines.
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EEP, FIN |
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RELATING TO CESSPOOLS. Reestablishes the cesspool upgrade, conversion, or connection income tax credit. Applies to taxable years beginning after 12/31/2026.
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EEP, FIN |
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RELATING TO CESSPOOLS. Allows an existing cesspool that lawfully serves a single dwelling unit in a priority level 3 area to continue serving that dwelling unit and additional bedrooms constructed on the same parcel, subject to certain conditions. Authorizes the Department of Health to adopt rules and authorizes the restriction of additional bedrooms where continued cesspool use impacts water quality or human health.
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EEP, JHA |
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RELATING TO CLEAN WATER. Preserves, as state law, water quality, permitting, and aquatic resource protections that are at least as protective as federal Clean Water Act regulations and standards in effect as of January 1, 2026, and ensures their continued applicability regardless of subsequent federal amendments, repeals, or reductions.
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EEP, WAL, JHA |
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RELATING TO ENERGY EQUITY. Requires the Public Utilities Commission to establish residential electricity rate structures that prioritize affordability and equity. Requires the Public Utilities Commission to establish a lifeline baseline performance standard, a medical essential needs energy program, and a new tariff. Requires electric utilities to file revised tariffs no later than twelve months after the Public Utilities Commission has issued a final decision and order under this Act. Requires the Public Utilities Commission to convene a stakeholder process for developing and implementing this Act.
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EEP, CPC, FIN |
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RELATING TO RENEWABLE ENERGY. Requires government entities in the State that issue building permits to establish a self‑certification process for behind‑the‑meter, customer‑sited solar distributed energy resource systems that deems permit applications approved and allows applicants to proceed to build solar distributed energy resource system immediately. Requires government entities in the State that issue building permits to develop guidance for determining specific conditions when a Federal Emergency Management Agency-mandated No-Rise Certification is not required for a solar distributed energy resource system located in a regulatory floodway.
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EEP, WAL, CPC |
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RELATING TO WATER HEATING SYSTEMS. Authorizes building permit variances for certain high-efficiency electric water heating systems utilizing heat pump technology, rather than solar water heater systems. Expands the renewable energy technologies income tax credit to include high-efficiency electric water heating systems.
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EEP, WAL, FIN |
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RELATING TO PORTABLE PLUG-IN SOLAR GENERATION DEVICES. Prohibits binding agreements preventing the installation of a portable plug-in solar generation device on any residential dwelling, subject to certain requirements.
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EEP, CPC, JHA |
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RELATING TO THE ENVIRONMENT. Establishes an executive committee and amends the membership and duties of the Hawaii Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission (Commission). Requires each member agency of the Commission to implement its own actions to address certain strategies and goals established by the Commission. Establishes reporting and review requirements for member agencies relating to climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts and clean economy targets. Updates reporting requirements for the Sea Level Rise Vulnerability and Adaptation reports. Allows the Commission to enter into certain procurement contracts. Updates the zero emissions clean economy target.
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EEP, WAL, FIN |
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RELATING TO CENTRALIZED ACCESS TO RESOURCES. Requires and appropriates funds for the Hawaii Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission to develop, implement, and maintain a centralized resource website to connect residents to support and resources to address affordability, health, safety, and the impacts of climate change.
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EEP, WAL, FIN |
DECISION MAKING TO FOLLOW
Persons wishing to offer comments should submit testimony at least 24 hours prior to the hearing. Testimony received after this time will be stamped late and left to the discretion of the chair to consider. While every effort will be made to incorporate all testimony received, materials received on the day of the hearing or improperly identified or directed, may not be processed.
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FOR AMENDED NOTICES: Measures that have been deleted are stricken through and measures that have been added are bolded.
For more information, please contact the Committee Clerk at (808) 586-8400.
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________________________________________ Rep. Nicole E. Lowen Chair |
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