CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 96

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: S.B. No. 1522

H.D. 2

C.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir and Madam:

Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 1522, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO VEHICLE TITLE TRANSFERS,"

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:

(1) Clarify that proof that a transferor has filed required notice forms with the County Director of Finance serves as a complete defense to any action brought against the transferor for an act or omission, civil or criminal, arising from the use, operation, or abandonment of the vehicle by another person; and

(2) Require by July 1, 2026, the Judiciary to determine whether new forms or modification of the Judiciary's website is necessary to assist vehicle transferors and, if so, to create the forms or modify the website.

Your Committee on Conference finds that when a vehicle transfer is made in the State, the transfer is not considered complete until the county receives a certificate of ownership documenting the transfer. When the buyer of a vehicle fails to submit the required documentation, the vehicle remains legally registered to the previous owner, rendering the previous owner liable for certain penalties or infractions though they are no longer in possession of the vehicle. This measure protects transferors from any liability that may result from the operation of a transferred vehicle.

Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting legislative findings;

(2) Making it effective upon its approval; and

(3) 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 S.B. No. 1522, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1522, H.D. 2, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

____________________________ DARIUS KILA Co-Chair	____________________________ CHRIS LEE Chair
____________________________ DAVID A. TARNAS Co-Chair	____________________________ KARL RHOADS Co-Chair