Gov. Josh Green is urging state lawmakers to take action on wildfire recovery measures in the final days of the legislative session.
Two key measures have stalled at the Capitol. One would have allowed Hawaiian Electric to issue ratepayer-backed bonds — a process called securitization — to fund wildfire mitigation efforts.
State lawmakers expressed concerns about the increased cost to ratepayers and the company's lack of a completed fire mitigation plan.
During a conference committee hearing on Thursday, Sen. Jarrett Keohokalole recommended that the measure be deferred, meaning it would not move forward this legislative session.
Another would have created a wildfire relief fund with contributions from stakeholders like the state and HECO. The fund would be used to compensate homeowners in the event of a future catastrophic wildfire.
Lawmakers have yet to schedule a final committee hearing for the bill.
Green said in a written statement to Hawaiʻi Public Radio that the Legislature's "inaction" will place the state in danger of seeing increased energy costs.
He also criticized lawmakers for not implementing his proposed $25 climate impact fee that visitors would have paid upon checking into a hotel or short-term rental.
"None of this would have been an issue had the climate impact fee been passed when we proposed it. These matters must be addressed in an era of climate change and heightened risk for natural disasters,” Green said.
Green also wrote a letter to Keohokalole asking him to reconsider his decision to kill the securitization measure.
Friday is the last day for bills to pass out of their conference committees. But in his letter, the governor offered to bypass this session's deadline and requested the Legislature reconvene conference on Monday to take on the measure.
"This is a bill of enormous importance for our state. Our energy future and the stability and reliability of the utility is riding on this bill," Green said.
Read Green's letter to Keohokalole below:
