# Hawaii HB 974: RELATING TO ENERGY.

Hawaii HB 974, RELATING TO ENERGY., is a 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2) House bill sponsored by Nicole E. Lowen (Democratic); status failed, last action 2025-12-08 (Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-11-01).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB974-2026
- As of: 2026-11-01
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Hawaii HB 974
- State: Hawaii
- Session: 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2)
- Title: RELATING TO ENERGY.
- Status: failed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2025-01-21
- Last action: 2025-12-08, Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
- Sponsor: Nicole E. Lowen (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Subjects: BNF, Public Utilities Commission, Energy, Step-In Agreements, Power Purchase Agreements, Power Purchase Costs Trust Fund, EIG/CPN, WAM
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 6 (120 yes, 1 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Requires the Department of Budget and Finance to enter into step-in agreements for payment obligations arising under certain power purchase agreements. Establishes the Power Purchase Costs Trust Fund. Establishes that money collected from on-bill charges for power purchase agreements and money received from a surcharge supporting a reserve account that are deposited in the Trust Fund shall be held in trust by the State, and that independent power producers shall hold a beneficial interest in the moneys to the extent of the amounts owed under the covered power purchase agreements. Appoints, authorizes, and empowers an electric utility to serve as the billing, collection, and payment agent of the Department of Budget and Finance in the service of performing step-in agreements. (SD1)

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Nicole E. Lowen (Democratic), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-03-20 | Senate | The committee(s) on EIG recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENT... | pass | 4 | 0 |   |
| 2025-03-20 | Senate | The committee(s) on CPN recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENT... | pass | 4 | 1 |   |
| 2025-02-27 | House | House Floor Vote | pass | 47 | 0 |   |
| 2025-02-20 | House | The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes ... | pass | 14 | 0 |   |
| 2025-02-14 | House | Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on FIN... | pass | 47 | 0 |   |
| 2025-02-13 | House | The committee on EEP recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The ... | pass | 4 | 0 |   |

## Bill text

- Bill Text: [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB974_SD1_.pdf)
- HB974_HD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB974_HD1_.HTM)
- HB974_SD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB974_SD1_.HTM)
- Original: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB974_.HTM), [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB974_.PDF)

## Related bills

- SB 847: RELATING TO PSYCHOLOGISTS. (became law)
- SB 2338: RELATING TO HOUSING. (signed)
- HB 2344: RELATING TO SCHOOL FACILITIES. (signed)
- HB 2023: RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION. (signed)
- HB 2021: RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION. (signed)
- SB 2964: RELATING TO PROPERTY INSURANCE. (signed)

## Sources
- [Bill Text (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB974_SD1_.pdf)
- [HB974_HD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB974_HD1_.HTM)
- [HB974_SD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB974_SD1_.HTM)
- [Original (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB974_.HTM)
- [Original (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB974_.PDF)

## Related
- [SB 847: RELATING TO PSYCHOLOGISTS.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB847-2026)
- [SB 2338: RELATING TO HOUSING.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB2338-2026)
- [HB 2344: RELATING TO SCHOOL FACILITIES.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB2344-2026)
- [HB 2023: RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB2023-2026)
- [HB 2021: RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB2021-2026)
- [SB 2964: RELATING TO PROPERTY INSURANCE.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB2964-2026)
- [Hawaii bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/hawaii/bills)
- [Hawaii state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/hawaii)
- [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB974-2026 (as of 2026-11-01).