Legislator Spotlights Bill list:
The following is a list of the bills from the 2019 - 2020 legislative biennium that were used to determine good (green), neutral (yellow), and bad (red) actions taken by legislators. These bills were Sierra Club priorities as determined by our volunteer leadership or or controversial bills that advanced enough through legislative session to obtain votes from both the House and Senate. Bills can be reviewed at capitol.hawaii.gov.
2019 Bills:
Sea Level Rise - Support disclosure of SLR impacts in real estate transactions (HB 565, SB 1126, SB 1339, SB 1340). Support updates to coastal zone management laws to prevent development in SLR areas (HB 549, SB 393, SB 1113). Support incorporating SLR into state plans and funding for sea level rise projects (HB 461, HB 765, HB 1487, SB 690).
Clean Energy - Support fixing the calculation of Hawai‘i's renewable portfolio standards, accelerating Hawai‘i's clean energy goals, and making natural gas meet these goals (HB 550). Support for establishing appliance efficiency standards (HB 556, SB 1323). Oppose industrial solar on A-rated agricultural lands (HB 593).
Electric Vehicles - Support including fuel cell vehicles as EV, prioritizing EV procurement for state and county fleets (HB 661). Support providing a rebate for installation of EV charging infrastructure (HB 1585). Support requiring EV-ready new construction (SB 1000).
Single-use Plastics - Support bans on sale and distribution of single-use plastic items such as foam containers, bags, bottles, straws, and utensils (SB 367, SB 522).
Stream Ecosystem Protection - Oppose the continued practice to allow corporate interests, like Alexander and Baldwin, to divert public streams without required, prior evaluation of environmental impacts (HB 1326).
2020 Bills:
Sea Level Rise - Support disclosure of SLR impacts in real estate transactions (HB 1878, HB 2383, HB 2384, SB 2534, SB 2670, SB 2671). Support updates to coastal zone management laws to protect beaches from sea level rise impacts by preventing seawalls and coastal development (HB 1848, HB 2194, SB 2060). Support implementing sea level rise report recommendations (SB 3099).
Clean Energy - Support the closure of Hawai‘i's last coal-fired power plant in 2022 to make Hawai‘i coal-free by 2023 (HB 2657, SB 2366, SB 2629). Support requiring energy efficiency for state facilities (HB1846). Support fixing the calculation of Hawai‘i's renewable portfolio standards and accelerating Hawai‘i's clean energy goals (HB 1864). Support clean energy jobs training (HB 1934).
Land Use - Oppose weakening the authority of Land Use Commission in rezoning agricultural lands for housing development (HB 1932, HB 2542, SB 2620, SB 3104). Oppose the transfer of 100,000 acres of watershed lands from the Dept. of Land and Natural Resources to the Dept. of Agriculture (HB2035, HB2577, SB2812).
Electric Vehicles (House only, limited actions in the Senate)- Support 100% clean ground transportation by 2045 (HB 2699). Support extending the free parking benefits for electric vehicles (HB 1052, HB 2558, SB 111, SB 2657). Support a tax credit for electric vehicle purchases (HB2462).