Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Consumer Protection and Commerce, to which was referred H.B. No. 21 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to repeal the requirement that time share agents wear identification badges while off premises and engaged in acquisition agent or sales agent activity.

Testimony in support of this measure was received from Pahio Resorts, Inc., Hilton Grand Vacations Club, American Resort Development Association, All Islands Timeshare Resales, and a law firm representing time share businesses. The Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs testified in opposition to this measure in the interest of protecting unwary tourists.

Your Committee agrees with the time share industry, that the requirement of wearing identification badges was necessary when there was very little regulation, enforcement of laws, and industry competition. However, the time share industry is presently recognized as an organized segment of the tourism and hospitality industries and that this requirement sets its members apart from other similarly-situated business people by unnecessarily labeling them in a way which denigrates those associated with the time share industry.

Your Committee also finds that no other industry in Hawaii requires its members to wear badges of this sort and that many time share industry members already require a company badge that reflects the name of the resort and the name of the outside public contact personnel.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Consumer Protection and Commerce that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 21 and recommends that it pass Third Reading.