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Senate committees advance bill requiring new buildings to be EV-charger ready with narrow amendments
Summary
Joint Senate committees voted to pass House Bill 344, HD1, after adopting two amendments from the Hawaii State Energy Office to expand coverage to on-grade parking and to allow level 1 or level 3 charging "when appropriate." Witnesses said upfront costs should be nominal but could not provide firm per-stall figures.
Senate committees on Energy, Intergovernmental Affairs and Government Operations advanced House Bill 344, HD1, on March 18, directing new building designs to include electric vehicle (EV) charger-ready parking stalls and adopting two technical amendments from the Hawaii State Energy Office.
The bill and amendments were intended to ensure that both structured parking and on-grade (surface) lots are covered and to add language permitting level 1 or level 3 chargers "when appropriate," committee members said. The joint committees voted to pass the measure with those amendments.
Why it matters: The measure would require new construction to be built with the electrical and conduit infrastructure needed to add EV chargers later, a change advocates say reduces retrofit costs and speeds deployment as EV adoption grows.
State Energy Office representation: Chris Juncker testified on behalf of Mark Blick of the Hawaii State Energy Office, saying the office stood on its written testimony in support and was available for questions. Keith Regan, comptroller at the Department of Accounting and General Services, also testified in support and said the added design requirements would be nominal if included at initial construction.
On cost and scope: In response to committee questions, Keith Regan said adding EV-ready infrastructure could increase construction cost but called the increase "nominal" if planned from the outset; he declined to provide a definitive per-stall cost, saying supply-chain factors and tariffs made precise estimates unavailable. Regan said the requirement as drafted does not mandate installation of chargers at construction, only that the wiring or conduit and electrical capacity be provided so chargers can be added later.
Amendments adopted: The committees accepted two suggested amendments from the Hawaii State Energy Office: (1) expand the bill to cover on-grade parking lots as well as parking structures; and (2) add language to allow level 1 or level 3 charging where appropriate rather than a single specification for all sites.
Committee discussion and votes: Committee members expressed general support for requiring new construction to be "EV ready," while some voiced reservations about grid and infrastructure implications. For the Committee on Energy and Intergovernmental Affairs the chair recorded a yes; the vice chair was excused; one senator recorded an aye "with reservation;" the committee reported three members in favor. The Government Operations committee adopted the same recommendation; one member recorded a reservation during that committee's vote. The measure passed both committees for further processing.
What the bill does not yet specify: Witnesses and members did not provide a binding per-stall cost, implementation timeline, or detailed requirements for when level 1 versus level 3 chargers would be required. Those details were discussed as operational issues to be refined during subsequent drafting or implementing guidance.
What's next: The measure moves forward from the joint committee action with the two technical amendments adopted; additional committee referrals or floor action will determine final enactment and any further specification for cost, phasing or technical standards.
