Bill > HB346

This bill expands Hawaii's existing electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure rebate program to include new incentives for affordable housing developments. The legislation aims to address barriers to EV adoption for low-income residents by providing financial rebates for installing EV-ready parking stalls in new affordable housing construction. Specifically, the bill allows developers to receive up to $1,750 per EV-ready parking stall, with eligibility for rebates covering up to 50% of the total EV-ready parking stalls in a project. The bill defines "affordable housing" as housing affordable to households earning at or below 140% of the area median income and "EV-ready" as having a full-circuit installation with appropriate electrical capacity. The rebate program will be administered by the public utilities commission, and applicants must submit rebate applications within 12 months of installation. The legislation recognizes that constructing EV-ready parking stalls during initial construction is significantly more cost-effective than retrofitting existing parking areas, and seeks to create more equitable access to EV charging infrastructure for low-income residents who might otherwise be unable to benefit from electric vehicle ownership.

Agriculture and Natural Resources, Budget and Finance, Housing and Urban Affairs

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=HB&billnumber=346&year=2026