STAND. COM. REP. NO.  266-08

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2008

 

RE:   H.B. No. 2302

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Water, Land, Ocean Resources & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 2302 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO REAL PROPERTY,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this bill is to streamline the process of recording land title documents in the Land Court and Bureau of Conveyances by:

 

(1)  Authorizing the Registrar of the Bureau of Conveyances to accept electronic documents with electronic signatures for recording; and

 

(2)  Requiring the Judiciary to study:

    

(a)  The effects of electronic recording on the adjudication of Land Court applications; and

 

(b)  Permissible uses for electronic recording in the Land Court.

 

The Commission to Promote Uniform Legislation testified in support of this bill.  The Department of Land and Natural Resources and Hawaii Association of REALTORS supported the intent of this measure.  The Judiciary, Hawaii Government Employees Association, AFSCME Local 152, AFL-CIO, and Hawaii Land Title Association provided comments.

 

Your Committee has amended this bill by:

 

(1)  Replacing the authorization to the Registrar to accept an electronic signature in place of an original signature, with the provision that an electronic signature satisfies any legal requirements for signatures on recorded documents; and

 

(2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for style, clarity, and consistency.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water, Land, Ocean Resources & Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2302, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2302, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committees on Consumer Protection & Commerce and Judiciary.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water, Land, Ocean Resources & Hawaiian Affairs,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

KEN ITO, Chair