# Hawaii SB 588: RELATING TO RENEWABLE ENERGY.

Hawaii SB 588, RELATING TO RENEWABLE ENERGY., is a 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2) Senate bill sponsored by Glenn Wakai (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-SB588-2026
- 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 588
- State: Hawaii
- Session: 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2)
- Title: RELATING TO RENEWABLE ENERGY.
- Status: failed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2025-01-17
- Last action: 2025-12-08, Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
- Sponsor: Glenn Wakai (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 4
- Subjects: Solar Distributed Energy Resource Systems, Permitting Self-Certification, FEMA Flood Zone No-Rise/No Impact Declaration Requirements, EEP, CPC
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 4 (37 yes, 0 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Authorizes certain government entities to establish a self-certification process for behind-the-meter, customer-sited solar distributed energy resource systems and exempt the systems from the Federal Emergency Management Agency No-Rise/No-Impact declaration requirements under certain circumstances. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD2)

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Glenn Wakai (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Stanley Chang (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Kurt Fevella (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: Angus L.K. McKelvey (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Joy A. San Buenaventura (Democratic), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-03-04 | Senate | Senate Floor Vote | pass | 25 | 0 |   |
| 2025-02-25 | Senate | The committee(s) on CPN recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENT... | pass | 5 | 0 |   |
| 2025-01-30 | Senate | The committee(s) on GVO recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENT... | pass | 4 | 0 |   |
| 2025-01-30 | Senate | The committee(s) on EIG recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENT... | pass | 3 | 0 |   |

## Actions (20)

- 2025-12-08: Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
- 2025-03-11: The committee(s) on EEP recommend(s) that the measure be deferred. (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, 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. 172) in amended form (SD 2). (House)
- 2025-02-28: Reported from CPN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 846) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading, as amended (SD 2). (Senate)
- 2025-02-28: 48 Hrs. Notice 03-04-25. (Senate)
- 2025-02-25: The committee(s) on CPN recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in CPN were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) Keohokalole, Fukunaga, McKelvey, Richards, Awa; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none. (Senate)
- 2025-02-20: The committee(s) on CPN deferred the measure until 02-25-25 9:30AM; Conference Room 229 & Videoconference. (Senate)
- 2025-02-14: The committee(s) on CPN will hold a public decision making on 02-20-25 9:30AM; Conference Room 229 & Videoconference. (Senate)
- 2025-02-06: Reported from EIG/GVO (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 62) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to CPN. (Senate)
- 2025-02-06: Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to CPN. (Senate)
- 2025-01-30: The committee(s) on EIG recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in EIG were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Wakai, Chang, DeCoite; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 2 Excused: Senator(s) Richards, Fevella. (Senate)
- 2025-01-30: The committee(s) on GVO recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in GVO were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) McKelvey, Gabbard, Moriwaki, San Buenaventura; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Fevella. (Senate)
- 2025-01-27: The committee(s) on EIG/GVO has scheduled a public hearing on 01-30-25 3:00PM; Conference Room 225 & Videoconference. (Senate)
- 2025-01-23: Referred to EIG/GVO, CPN. (Senate)
- 2025-01-17: Introduced. (Senate)
- 2025-01-17: Passed First Reading. (Senate)

## Bill text

- Bill Text: [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB588_SD2_.pdf)
- Original: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB588_.HTM), [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB588_.PDF)
- SB588_SD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB588_SD1_.HTM)
- SB588_SD2: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB588_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/SB588_SD2_.pdf)
- [Original (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB588_.HTM)
- [Original (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB588_.PDF)
- [SB588_SD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB588_SD1_.HTM)
- [SB588_SD2 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB588_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)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB588-2026 (as of 2026-11-01).