Hawaii Public Utilities Commission
| Hawaii Public Utilities Commission | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Office Type: | Nonpartisan |
| Office website: | Official Link |
| Compensation: | $134,688 |
| 2024 FY Budget: | $18,737,324 |
| Total Seats: | 3 |
| Term limits: | None |
| Structure | |
| Length of term: | 6 years |
| Authority: | Hawaii Revised Statutes, 269-2 |
| Leadership: | Leo Asuncion, Jr. |
| Selection Method: | Appointed by the governor |
| Other Hawaii Executive Offices | |
| Governor•Lieutenant Governor•Attorney General•Director of Finance•Auditor•Superintendent of Education•Agriculture Commissioner•Director of Commerce and Consumer Affairs•Chairperson of Land and Natural Resources•Director of Labor and Industrial Relations•Public Utilities Commission | |
The Hawaii Public Utilities Commission is a three-member state executive body in the Hawaii state government. The commission is responsible for regulating the state's public utilities, including electricity, gas, telecommunications, water and sewage, and motor and water transportation companies. The commission is composed of three members appointed by the governor and subject to confirmation by the state Senate. Commissioners serve six-year terms and face no term limits.[1]
Current officeholders
The current officeholders are:
- Leo Asuncion Jr. (nonpartisan)
- Naomi Kuwaye (nonpartisan)
- Colin Yost (nonpartisan)
Authority
The public utilities commission is established by state statute.[2]
Hawaii Revised Statutes, 269-2
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(a) There shall be a public utilities commission of three members, to be called commissioners, and who shall be appointed in the manner prescribed in section 26-34 |
Qualifications
State law instructs the governor to appoint commissioners "who have had experience in accounting, business, engineering, government, finance, law, or other similar field." In addition, no commissioner may own any stock or bond of a public utility.[2]
Hawaii Revised Statutes, 269-2
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In appointing commissioners, the governor shall select persons who have had experience in accounting, business, engineering, government, finance, law, or other similar fields. The commissioners shall devote full time to their duties as members of the commission and no commissioner shall hold any other public office or other employment during the commissioner's term of office. No person owning any stock or bonds of any public utility corporation, or having any interest in, or deriving any remuneration from, any public utility shall be appointed a commissioner. |
Appointments
All members of Public Utilities Commission, including the chairperson, are appointed by the governor with the consent of the state Senate.
Term limits
Public Utilities Commissioners are not subject to term limits.
Vacancies
Section 26-34 of the Hawaii Revised Statutes provides that vacancies in the board be filled according to Article V, Section 6 of the Hawaii Constitution. If a vacancy occurs, the governor appoints a replacement with the consent of the state Senate. If the Senate is out of session when the vacancy occurs, the governor may appoint a temporary replacement to exercise the powers of attorney general until the legislature reconvenes.
Duties
Commissioners are responsible for regulating the rates and business practices of public utilities, i.e. electricity, gas, telecommunications, private water and sewage, and water/land transport companies.[3]
Divisions
Note: Ballotpedia's state executive officials project researches state official websites for information that describes the divisions (if any exist) of a state executive office. That information for the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission has not yet been added. After extensive research we were unable to identify any relevant information on state official websites. If you have any additional information about this office for inclusion on this section and/or page, please email us.
State budget
The Hawaii Public Utilities Commission's budget for Fiscal Year 2024 was $18,737,324.[4]
Compensation
- See also: Compensation of state executive officers
The salaries of elected and appointed executives in Hawaii are determined by the Hawaii Commission on Salaries, which was established by constitutional amendment in 2006. Passage of this amendment by the public added the following language to Article XVI of the state constitution:
Article XVI, Section 3.5 of the Hawaii Constitution
| Text of Section 3.5:
There shall be a commission on salaries as provided by law, which shall review and recommend salaries for the justices and judges of all state courts, members of the legislature, department heads or executive officers of the executive departments and the deputies or assistants to department heads of the executive departments as provided by law, excluding the University of Hawaii and the department of education. The commission shall also review and make recommendations for the salary of the administrative director of the State or equivalent position and the salary of the governor and the lieutenant governor. Any salary established pursuant to this section shall not be decreased during a term of office, unless by general law applying to all salaried officers of the State. Not later than the fortieth legislative day of the 2007 regular legislative session and every six years thereafter, the commission shall submit to the legislature its recommendations and then dissolve. The recommended salaries submitted shall become effective as provided in the recommendation, unless the legislature disapproves the entire recommendation as a whole by adoption of a concurrent resolution prior to adjournment sine die of the legislative session in which the recommendation is submitted; provided that any change in salary which becomes effective shall not apply to the legislature to which the recommendation for the change in salary was submitted. |
The commission consists of seven members selected by the governor (two seats), the President of the Hawaii State Senate (two seats), Speaker of the Hawaii House of Representatives (two seats) and the Chief Justice of the state Supreme Court (one seat). Commissioners meet every six years to evaluate salaries for executive, judicial and legislative officials. Their recommendations go into effect unless the Hawaii State Legislature votes to reject the entirety of the commission's final report. The commission last met in November 2012 and made recommendations for official salaries between 2013 and 2018.[5]
2022
In 2022, each commissioner received a salary of $134,688, according to the Council of State Governments.[6]
2021
In 2021, each commissioner received a salary of $134,688, according to the Council of State Governments.[7]
2020
In 2019, each commissioner received a salary of $134,688, according to the Council of State Governments.[8]
2019
In 2019, each commissioner received a salary of $128,280, according to the Council of State Governments.[9]
2018
In 2018, each commissioner received a salary of $125,760, according to the Council of State Governments.[10]
2017
In 2017, each commissioner received a salary of $123,300, according to the Council of State Governments.[11]
2016
In 2016, each commissioner received a salary of $120,876, according to the Council of State Governments.[12]
2015
In 2015, each commissioner received a salary of $118,500, according to the Council of State Governments.[13]
2014
In 2014, the commissioners each received a salary of $116,172, according to the Council of State Governments.[14]
2013
In 2013, the commissioners each received a salary of $90,060, according to the Council of State Governments.[15]
2010
In 2010, each commissioner received a salary of $90,060.
Historical officeholders
Note: Ballotpedia's state executive officials project researches state official websites for chronological lists of historical officeholders; information for the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission has not yet been added because the information was unavailable on the relevant state official websites, or we are currently in the process of formatting the list for this office. If you have any additional information about this office for inclusion on this section and/or page, please email us.
Recent news
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Contact info
Address:
465 South King Street, #103
Honolulu, HI 96813
See also
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Hawaii Public Utilities Commission, "Introduction," accessed January 17, 2021
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Hawaii Revised Statutes, "269-2," accessed January 17, 2021
- ↑ Hawaii Public Utilities Commission, "Introduction," accessed January 17, 2021
- ↑ Department of Budget and Finance, "Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs," accessed December 8, 2023
- ↑ Commission on Salaries, "Report and Recommendations to the 2013 Legislature," March 18, 2013
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2022 Table 4.11: Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," provided to Ballotpedia by CSG personnel
- ↑ Issuu, "The Book of the States 2021," accessed September 22, 2022
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2019," accessed January 17, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2019," accessed January 17, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2018," accessed January 17, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2017," accessed January 17, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2016," accessed August 27, 2016
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2015," accessed August 27, 2016
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed November 14, 2014
- ↑ The Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2013, Table 4.11," accessed February 2, 2014
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