STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1012

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2011

RE:   S.B. No. 1301

      S.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Housing, to which was referred S.B. No. 1301, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FAIR HOUSING EXEMPTIONS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to conform state laws that prohibit housing discrimination with applicable federal law.

     Specifically, this bill makes exemptions from prohibited discriminatory practices in the State's fair housing laws consistent with similar exemptions in the federal Fair Housing Amendments Act by:

(1)  Clarifying that the exemptions apply to lessors and owners; and

(2)  Making persons protected under section 515-16, Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS), regarding discriminatory practices, consistent with Chapter 515, HRS, the discrimination on real property transactions law.

     The Hawai‘i Civil Rights Commission and Legal Aid Society of Hawaii testified in support of this bill.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1301, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Housing,

____________________________

RIDA T.R. CABANILLA, Chair