# Hawaii SB 137: RELATING TO ELECTRIC UTILITIES.

Hawaii SB 137, RELATING TO ELECTRIC UTILITIES., is a 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2) Senate bill sponsored by Jarrett Keohokalole (Democratic); status failed, last action 2025-12-08 (Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.) (as of 2026-11-01).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB137-2026
- As of: 2026-11-01
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Hawaii SB 137
- State: Hawaii
- Session: 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2)
- Title: RELATING TO ELECTRIC UTILITIES.
- Status: failed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2025-01-10
- Last action: 2025-12-08, Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
- Sponsor: Jarrett Keohokalole (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 8
- Subjects: Public Utilities Commission, Electric Utility Companies, Acquisitions, Mergers, Consolidations, Application Review Process, Alternative Applications, Non-Investor-Owned Utilities Ownership Models, Collective Bargaining Agreements, Power Purchase Agreements, EEP, CPC, FIN
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 6 (96 yes, 1 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Requires the Public Utilities Commission to consider whether approving a proposed merger or acquisition would or would not further the State's renewable energy goals. Prohibits the acquiring entity of an electric utility company from terminating or attempting to renegotiate any existing and valid power purchase agreements and requires the acquiring entity to assume and be bound by existing collective bargaining agreements and retain all covered employees. Establishes a process to ensure that when an electric utility is subject to an application for a proposed acquisition, merger, or consolidation by a potential acquiring entity that is an investor-owned utility and seeks approval of the application from the Public Utilities Commission, the electric utility shall demonstrate that it solicited bids from potential acquiring entities that operate under a non-investor-owned utility ownership model. Requires the electric utility to submit acceptable bids from a potential acquiring entity operating under a non-investor-owned utility ownership model concurrently with an application by a potential acquiring entity that is an investor-owned utility and the Public Utilities Commission to review those applications concurrently. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Jarrett Keohokalole (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: AQUINO
- Cosponsor: Stanley Chang (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Lynn DeCoite (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Troy N. Hashimoto (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Karl Rhoads (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Herbert M. "Tim" Richards III (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Joy A. San Buenaventura (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Glenn Wakai (Democratic), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-03-14 | House | Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on CPC... | pass | 46 | 1 |   |
| 2025-03-12 | House | The committee on EEP recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The ... | pass | 4 | 0 |   |
| 2025-03-04 | Senate | Senate Floor Vote | pass | 25 | 0 |   |
| 2025-02-26 | Senate | The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENT... | pass | 5 | 0 |   |
| 2025-02-26 | Senate | The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENT... | pass | 13 | 0 |   |
| 2025-01-31 | Senate | The committee(s) on CPN recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENT... | pass | 3 | 0 |   |

## Actions (26)

- 2025-12-08: Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
- 2025-03-19: The committee(s) on CPC recommend(s) that the measure be deferred. (House)
- 2025-03-14: Reported from EEP (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1246) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to CPC. (House)
- 2025-03-14: Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on CPC with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Pierick voting no (1) and Representative(s) Cochran, Holt, Iwamoto, Ward excused (4). (House)
- 2025-03-14: Bill scheduled to be heard by CPC on Wednesday, 03-19-25 2:00PM in House conference room 329 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (House)
- 2025-03-12: The committee on EEP recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 4 Ayes: Representative(s) Lowen, Perruso, Kahaloa, Kusch; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Quinlan, Ward. (House)
- 2025-03-11: The committee(s) on EEP recommend(s) that the measure be deferred until 03-12-25 11:15AM. (House)
- 2025-03-11: Bill scheduled for decision making on Wednesday, 03-12-25 11:15AM in conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (House)
- 2025-03-07: Bill scheduled to be heard by EEP on Tuesday, 03-11-25 9:00AM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (House)
- 2025-03-06: Pass First Reading (House)
- 2025-03-06: Referred to EEP, CPC, FIN, referral sheet 19 (House)
- 2025-03-04: Report adopted; Passed Third Reading, as amended (SD 2). Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none . Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House. (Senate)
- 2025-03-04: Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 96) in amended form (SD 2). (House)
- 2025-02-28: Reported from JDC/WAM (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 985) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading, as amended (SD 2). (Senate)
- 2025-02-28: 48 Hrs. Notice 03-04-25. (Senate)
- 2025-02-26: The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in JDC were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) Rhoads, Gabbard, Chang, San Buenaventura, Awa; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none. (Senate)
- 2025-02-26: The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in WAM were as follows: 13 Aye(s): Senator(s) Dela Cruz, Moriwaki, Aquino, DeCoite, Elefante, Hashimoto, Inouye, Kanuha, Kidani, Kim, Lee, C., Wakai, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none. (Senate)
- 2025-02-21: The committee(s) on JDC/WAM will hold a public decision making on 02-26-25 10:05AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference. (Senate)
- 2025-02-10: Reported from CPN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 165) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to JDC/WAM. (Senate)
- 2025-02-10: Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to JDC/WAM. (Senate)
- 2025-01-31: The committee(s) on CPN recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in CPN were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Keohokalole, Fukunaga, McKelvey; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 2 Excused: Senator(s) Richards, Awa. (Senate)
- 2025-01-28: The committee(s) on CPN deferred the measure until 01-31-25 9:35AM; Conference Room 229. (Senate)
- 2025-01-23: The committee(s) on CPN has scheduled a public hearing on 01-28-25 9:30AM; Conference Room 229 & Videoconference. (Senate)
- 2025-01-17: Referred to CPN, JDC/WAM. (Senate)
- 2025-01-15: Introduced and passed First Reading. (Senate)
- 2025-01-10: Pending Introduction. (Senate)

## Bill text

- Bill Text: [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB137_HD1_.pdf)
- Original: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB137_.HTM), [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB137_.PDF)
- SB137_HD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB137_HD1_.HTM)
- SB137_SD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB137_SD1_.HTM)
- SB137_SD2: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB137_SD2_.HTM)

## Related bills

- SB 847: RELATING TO PSYCHOLOGISTS. (became law)
- HB 2344: RELATING TO SCHOOL FACILITIES. (signed)
- HB 2023: RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION. (signed)
- HB 2021: RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION. (signed)
- SB 2338: RELATING TO HOUSING. (signed)
- HB 1973: RELATING TO HEALTH. (signed)

## Sources
- [Bill Text (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB137_HD1_.pdf)
- [Original (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB137_.HTM)
- [Original (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB137_.PDF)
- [SB137_HD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB137_HD1_.HTM)
- [SB137_SD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB137_SD1_.HTM)
- [SB137_SD2 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB137_SD2_.HTM)

## Related
- [SB 847: RELATING TO PSYCHOLOGISTS.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB847-2026)
- [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 2338: RELATING TO HOUSING.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB2338-2026)
- [HB 1973: RELATING TO HEALTH.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB1973-2026)
- [Hawaii bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/hawaii/bills)
- [Hawaii state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/hawaii)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB137-2026 (as of 2026-11-01).