CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 42-18

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2018

RE: H.B. No. 1621

H.D. 1

S.D. 1

C.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Sirs:

Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the House of Representatives to the amendments proposed by the Senate in H.B. No. 1621, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CONSUMER PROTECTION,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

The purpose of this measure is to increase consumer protections by:

(1) Prohibiting a merchant from charging a purchaser any fee, including a processing fee or an administrative fee, to repair, replace, or refund damaged or defective goods; and

(2) Requiring restaurant franchisees to disclose their non-participation in promotions or discounts under a national advertising campaign of the franchise and prohibiting franchisors from limiting or restricting these disclosures.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Specifying that the mandate for disclosure of non-participation in a national advertising campaign only applies to high turnover restaurants that are part of a national chain and feature full sit-down table service by waitstaff;

(2) Specifying that "high turnover restaurant" does not include a fast food restaurant;

(3) Inserting a sunset date of July 1, 2023 for the mandate for disclosure of non-participation in a national advertising campaign by high turnover restaurants; and

(4) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1621, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1621, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

____________________________ ROSALYN H. BAKER Chair

____________________________ ROY M. TAKUMI Chair