Senate Commerce Committee advances consumer protection, health and energy bills; defers three measures

The Hawaii State Senate Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection met on Feb. 20, 2025, in Conference Room 229 for a decision-making agenda and recommended passage or deferral on a slate of bills covering utilities, health insurance, education and recycling.

Committee members advanced multiple measures, including bills to authorize electricity wheeling between state facilities, create a working group on end-of-life lithium-ion battery management, require insurers to cover continuous glucose monitors (with limitations), and authorize limited volunteer administration of medication in Department of Education schools. The committee deferred three measures for further consideration at a Feb. 25, 2025 decision-making session.

Why it matters: The package touches several consumer-facing areas — energy infrastructure, medical device coverage, school health administration and waste management — and includes provisions that could adjust utility regulation and insurance coverage if taken up by the full Senate.

Key actions and items

- SB 21, SD1 (water carriers): Committee recommended passage with amendments adopting a Public Utilities Commission (PUC) amendment changing an authority from mandatory to permissive, plus technical corrections and a defective effective date. Recorded votes during the item's consideration included the chair and vice chair voting aye, with Senators McKelvey…