2026 Legislative Session Bills

The 2026 Legislative Session is Complete

Analysis by John Kawamoto

5/17/26 - Honolulu Star-Advertiser - Island Voices - Column: Legislature falls short on climate action — again

By John Kawamoto

(John Kawamoto is a former legislative analyst and a member of Carbon Cashback Hawaii.)

Hawaii made history in 2018 when its Legislature committed the state to net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045, a benchmark that inspired similar pledges nationwide. However, that promise has yet to translate into decisive action.

The 2026 legislative session, which recently ended, was another missed opportunity,producing only a trickle of bills on emissions reduction rather than the sweeping policy shifts the 2045 goal demands. The lingering influence of decades of fossil fuel industry climate denial and misinformation continues to weaken the public policy understanding needed to match Hawaii’s ambitions with results.

The Legislature’s most glaring omission was failing to pass the carbon cashback bill, which would have reduced emissions by placing a fee on carbon pollution and distributing revenue directly to residents as a climate rebate. It would have combined emissions reduction with economic relief — a rare example of equitable climate policy.

Transportation, the state’s largest emissions source, also saw little progress. A plan to implement the Navahine v. Hawaii Department of Transportation settlement agreement — a landmark commitment to reduce transportation emissions — was largely ignored, leaving a key obligation unaddressed.

The Legislature also failed to pass a balcony solar bill that would have enabled those who live in apartments and condos to reduce their electricity bills with plug-in solar systems that are now spreading rapidly across Europe.

Other lost opportunities included subsidies for electric vehicle (EV) charging stations, an exemption from permitting requirements allowing EV charging stations to be built in special management areas, and several bills to protect Hawaii’s reefs and ocean environment.

There were some positives.

The Legislature appropriated “green fee” funds to support environmental programs, although much of the revenue was directed to nonenvironmental purposes, contrary to the program’s intent.

The Legislature also created the Cesspool Conversion and Loan Revolving Fund to help homeowners transition from cesspools to safer wastewater systems. Still, the Legislature went backward by passing a bill ending solar tax credits in 2031.

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is good not only for the climate, but it also supports Hawaii’s economy and strengthens energy security. The fossil fuel supply chain is fragile and exposed to global shocks. The recent blockade of the Strait of Hormuz illustrates how quickly oil and liquified natural gas supplies can be disrupted, driving prices upward. Hawaiian Electric recently announced rate increases of 20% to 30% due to rising global oil prices linked to geopolitical tensions.

This is not a new pattern. The world has experienced a major oil shock roughly every four years — from the Arab oil embargo and Iranian Revolution to the Gulf War and the 2000s commodities boom. Hawaii, which is more dependent on imported oil than any other state, has been especially vulnerable each time.

Clean, local energy offers a more stable and lower-cost alternative. Solar costs for panels, installation and maintenance are predictable, and once installed, sunlight carries no ongoing fuel cost. Battery storage prices continue to fall. Although Hawaii is well positioned to lead the transition to clean, renewable energy, it is not happening quickly enough, leaving residents exposed to fossil fuel price volatility.

The 2045 net zero deadline is not a distant aspiration, considering the scale of replacing Hawaii’s fossil fuel — based energy system with clean alternatives.

A few climate champions work assiduously in the Legislature, but too many lawmakers still do not fully grasp the urgency climate scientists say is required to ensure a livable future where our children and grandchildren can thrive.

Attention now turns to the 2027 legislative session. Hawaii’s climate credibility will be measured not by its goals but by the speed and seriousness of implementation. The science is clear that delay increases both environmental and economic costs, while early action reduces long-term risk. The tools already exist: clean energy technologies, efficiency improvements and proven policy mechanisms.

The 2027 session cannot repeat the pattern of incrementalism. The Legislature must deliver policies at the scale of the challenge, not at the pace of politics as usual.