Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Energy Assistance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Committee passes SB 191 with amendments to fold in LIHEAP working‑group proposal; vote adopted
Summary
SB 191, a bill relating to energy assistance, passed the Senate Committee with amendments to incorporate the state LIHEAP working group's recommendations (SB 994) and a defective date; Hawaiian Electric and the Public Utilities Commission supported inserting the working‑group language.
The Senate Committee on Health and Human Services voted to recommend passage of SB 191, which addresses state energy assistance, after agreeing to insert the contents of SB 994 — the LIHEAP working‑group proposal — and to add a defective date.
Noel Kakemoto, testifying for Hawaiian Electric, said the utility “strongly supports the intent of the bill” but urged the committee to insert the working group’s proposed language (SB 994) into SB 191. Kakemoto described Hawaiian Electric’s participation in the LIHEAP working group and recommended the committee adopt that text.
The Public Utilities Commission’s chair, Leo Asuncion, told the committee the PUC would support inserting SB 994 into SB 191. Other supporters included Hawaii Energy, Catholic Charities, and testimony from the Department of Budget and Finance and Department of Human Services as comments.
Committee decision: The chair recommended passing SB 191 with amendments to insert SB 994’s contents, add a defective date, and otherwise remove the original contents in lieu of SB 994. The committee adopted the recommendation; the chair announced the recommendation passed with amendments.
Next steps: With the committee recommendation to pass with amendments adopted, staff will prepare the committee report incorporating SB 994 language and set the defective date and additional implementation details for the bill to proceed through the legislative process.
