SB997 creates a new state reporting requirement for large-scale renewable energy, renewable energy storage, and carbon sequestration projects in Hawaii with a capacity of at least one megawatt. Within 30 days after construction begins, the project developer must file a signed attestation or declaration with the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism stating that contractors and subcontractors will meet specified labor standards during construction. Those standards include use of apprentices from approved apprenticeship programs, anti-harassment and anti-discrimination policies, licensing and public-works eligibility, compliance histories for workers’ compensation, building codes, occupational safety and health, and wage-and-hour laws, quarterly reporting and recordkeeping, and provision of health care and retirement benefits to workers.
The bill also requires the attestation to include project details such as capacity, acreage, location, workforce estimates, apprenticeship documentation, and policies used to meet the requirements. The developer must notify the purchaser of the project or the energy from the project that the attestation exists. The department must retain the filing and make it available to the public under the state’s open records law, but the filing is expressly for reporting only and may not be used by the department to investigate, regulate, or enforce the matters described in it. The bill allows additional labor standards to be included in contracts beyond those required by the measure.
SB997 would add a new section to chapter 196 of the Hawaii Revised Statutes governing labor-related disclosures for covered renewable energy projects. It would not directly impose enforcement authority on the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, but it would create a public-record attestation framework tied to project construction and contract administration. The measure affects developers, contractors, subcontractors, project purchasers, and electric utilities involved in qualifying renewable energy generation, storage, or carbon sequestration projects, and it references existing apprenticeship, public works, wage-and-hour, occupational safety, and licensing laws.
The available voting history suggests broad support for the bill in committee. It passed the Senate Energy and Intergovernmental Affairs Committee, the Senate Labor and Technology Committee, and the Senate Ways and Means Committee unanimously or near-unanimously, with no recorded opposition in the provided votes. No committee transcripts were provided, so the discussion record does not show detailed debate, but the amendment history and unanimous votes indicate the measure was generally viewed favorably.
The main potential points of contention are the labor requirements attached to private renewable energy projects and the bill’s use of a public attestation rather than direct enforcement. Requirements involving apprentices, diversity/equity/inclusion policies, benefits, compliance histories, and public disclosure could draw concern from developers or contractors who view them as burdensome or intrusive. At the same time, labor advocates would likely favor the bill’s emphasis on apprenticeship use, worker benefits, and compliance standards. The bill’s explicit statement that the department may not use the filing to investigate or enforce the attested matters may reflect an effort to balance labor accountability with limits on agency oversight.