How Did That Happen?

Our State Senate passed the Clean Fuel Standard by a 23-0 margin, and the State House voted in favor of SB 1120 by a 54-4 margin. Shouldn’t that mean the bill becomes law?

When the House and Senate pass different versions of the same bill (as they did with SB 1120), a small group of key legislators is convened to resolve the differences in what is called a conference committee.

Typically, dozens of conference committee negotiations are happening simultaneously during the final weeks of our part-time legislature’s session in Honolulu. If the final negotiated language between the House and Senate versions of the bill isn’t agreed upon by the time the conference committee is scheduled to vote on the bill, the bill process ends, and the legislation dies quietly.

Thus is the case of SB 1120, the Clean Fuel Standard, which ended up orphaned during the conference committee process.

The Fight For Cleaner

Fuels Isn’t Over

Thanks to your passionate support, we were closer than ever to bringing less polluting fuel made from local, recycled sources like used cooking oil to Hawaii and making us more energy independent.

While we are all disappointed at the outcome in 2025, It often takes two or three years to pass legislation. A new bill can be filed in January 2026 that addresses the differences that tripped up the Clean Fuel Standard at the finish line this year.

The Future Is Clean Fuels

With Hawaii’s largest oil refiner already investing nearly $100 million in their facility to process cleaner fuels for cars, trucks, and airplanes, your continued support for the Clean Fuel Standard will guarantee we will pass on our paradise to our keik