STAND. COM. REP. NO. 674-04

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2004

RE: H.B. No. 2768

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2004

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Consumer Protection and Commerce and Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 2768 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TRADE REGULATION,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to continue to improve indirect purchaser remedies under chapter 480, Hawaii Revised Statutes (chapter 480), by:

(1) Amending the definition of "consumer," to clarify that indirect purchasers of a product or service through an intermediary are consumers who may bring actions for unfair and deceptive acts or practices;

(2) Allowing indirect purchasers to recover the full amount paid for a product or service in indirect purchaser class actions brought under chapter 480; and

(3) Allowing indirect purchasers who bring private actions under chapter 480, to recover treble damages.

Your Committees heard testimony in support of this bill from three private attorneys.

 

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Consumer Protection and Commerce and Judiciary that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2768 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Consumer Protection and Commerce and Judiciary,

 

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ERIC G. HAMAKAWA, Chair

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KENNETH T. HIRAKI, Chair