STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1195-14

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2014

RE:   S.B. No. 2475

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce, to which was referred S.B. No. 2475 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ASSISTING UNLICENSED CONTRACTORS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to clarify that aiding or abetting an unlicensed contractor may subject contractor licensees to additional discipline by the Contractors License Board.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Regulated Industries Complaints Office, Contractors License Board, and the Subcontractors Association of Hawaii.

     Your Committee finds that the present law makes it a criminal misdemeanor for a contractor licensee to aid or abet an unlicensed contractor.  By expressly authorizing administrative sanctions in addition to criminal sanctions, this measure will provide additional protection for consumers by dissuading licensed contractors from recommending unlicensed contractors to otherwise unsuspecting customers.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2475 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 Consumer Protection & Commerce,

____________________________

ANGUS L.K. McKELVEY, Chair