STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1553

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2017

RE:   S.B. No. 119

      S.D. 1

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce, to which was referred S.B. No. 119, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PAYMENT OF RENT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to provide additional consumer protections for tenants by:

     (1)  Requiring landlords to disclose in writing a tenant's ability to establish a new due date for rent payment, if the tenant receives public assistance; and

     (2)  Establishing a cap of five percent on late rent payment fees.

The Office of Consumer Protection of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs testified in support of this measure.  The Hawaii Association of Realtors provided comments.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by increasing the cap on late rent payment fees from five percent of the amount of rent due to ten percent of the amount of rent due.

     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. 119, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 119, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce,

____________________________

ROY M. TAKUMI, Chair