Bill Updates at Triple Referral

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Today is February 11th, also known as “Triple Referral Filing.” This means that bills that have been referred to three or more committees must have been heard and successfully passed out of their first committee by this date to stay alive. Below is an update on some of our priorities:

Top good bills we support that are still alive:

  • HB1350 - ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE MAPPING (SUPPORT) - This bill would create a mapping tool to identify environmental justice communities throughout Hawai‘i.

  • SB1277 - ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE MAPPING AND TASK FORCE (SUPPORT) - This bill would create an environmental justice mapping task force and an advisory council to develop an environmental justice mapping tool for Hawai‘i.

  • HB860 - SOLAR ON NEW HOMES (SUPPORT) - This bill would require new housing development projects to be constructed with rooftop solar panels.

  • HB544/SB474 - SEA LEVEL RISE SELLER DISCLOSURE (SUPPORT) - Requires that mandatory seller disclosures in real estate transactions include identification of residential real properties lying within the sea level rise exposure area.

  • HB552/SB500/SB920 - ESTABLISHES 100% CLEAN GROUND TRANSPORTATION GOALS (SUPPORT) - Various bills have been introduced to set statewide goals relating to clean transportation for private vehicles and/or public fleets.

  • SB512 - EXPANDS SNAP DOUBLE BUCKS FOR LOCAL FOOD PURCHASES (SUPPORT) - Expands the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program’s “Double Up Food Bucks” initiative to incentivize the purchase of local produce and proteins for low-income beneficiaries.

  • SB889 - EIS REQUIREMENT FOR BIOMASS PROJECTS (SUPPORT) - Requires biomass (dirty energy) projects to be subject to Environmental Impact Statements.

Top bad bills we oppose that are still alive:

  • HB686- ANTI-PROTESTER BILL (OPPOSE) - This bill would make it a class C felony to protest at energy infrastructure sites.

  • HB1173/SB1237 - CUTS THE SOLAR TAX CREDIT (OPPOSE) - Reduces the cap amounts of the renewable energy technologies income tax credit.

  • HB469/SB693 - TRANSFERS 93,000 ACRES OF WATERSHED “PASTURELANDS” FROM DLNR TO DOA (OPPOSE) - Requires that agricultural lands under the jurisdiction of the department of land and natural resources be transferred to the department of agriculture not later than 12/31/2023.

  • HB260/SB137 WEAKENS THE STATE LAND USE COMMISSION’S AUTHORITY (OPPOSE) - Authorizes county land use decision-making authorities to amend district boundaries and reclassify agricultural lands to the urban district for the development of “affordable” housing.

Top bills we provided ”comments” or are just “watching”, that are still alive:

  • HB1319/SB546 - ESTABLISHES A CARBON TAX (COMMENTS) - These bills propose to amend Hawai‘i’s existing barrel or gas tax and gradually increase it to become a tax on carbon emissions.

  • HB1015/SB1169 - ALLOWS DIRECT NEGOTIATION OF WATER LICENSES (COMMENTS) - Clarifies the conditions and manner in which the Board of Land and Natural Resources may dispose water (like stream water) by license.

  • SB942 - SOLAR ON B AND C-RATED AGRICULTURAL LANDS (WATCHING) - The Public Utilities Commission shall not approve a solar energy facility on B or C rated agricultural lands without a letter of approval from the Dept. of Agriculture.

  • HB284/SB796 - WAIKIKI EXEMPTION TO COASTAL MANAGEMENT LAWS (WATCHING) - Exempts Waikiki from certain coastal zone management policies relating to beach protection and seawalls.

Thankfully, we no longer have to worry about these bad bills that are now dead for this session:

  • SB612- ANTI-PROTESTER BILL (OPPOSE) - This bill would make it a class C felony to protest at energy infrastructure sites. It was successfully deferred in the Senate Judiciary Committee.

  • HB341 - DECLARATORY RULINGS CANNOT BE APPEALED (OPPOSE) - This bill would limit people’s power to hold agencies accountable after they make decisions known as “declaratory rulings”. This bad bill is dead, after being deferred in the House Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs Committee.

  • HB344 - ELIMINATES CONTESTED CASE HEARINGS (OPPOSE) - This bill would limit public participation in agency decisions on land and water use and instead force citizens to go to court. This bad bill passed the House Water and Land Committee, but is now dead after being deferred in the House Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs Committee.