HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

THE TWENTY-SIXTH LEGISLATURE

REGULAR SESSION OF 2011

 

COMMITTEE ON CONSUMER PROTECTION & COMMERCE

Rep. Robert N. Herkes, Chair

Rep. Ryan I. Yamane, Vice Chair

 

Rep. Tom Brower

Rep. Hermina M. Morita

Rep. Rida T.R.  Cabanilla

Rep. Blake K. Oshiro

Rep. Mele Carroll

Rep. Joseph M. Souki

Rep. Ken Ito

Rep. Clift Tsuji

Rep. Gilbert S.C. Keith-Agaran

Rep. Corinne W.L. Ching

Rep. Sylvia Luke

Rep. Barbara C. Marumoto

Rep. Angus L.K. McKelvey

Rep. Cynthia Thielen

 

NOTICE OF HEARING

 

DATE:

Monday, January 31, 2011

TIME:

2:00 pm

PLACE:

Conference Room 325

State Capitol

415 South Beretania Street

 

A G E N D A

 

HB 617

Status

RELATING TO COMPUTERS.

Establishes a civil remedy for damages caused by the creation or use of botnets or zombies.  Provides definitions for the terms "botnet" and "zombie". 

 

CPC, JUD

HB 629

Status

RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES.

Requires telephone service providers to disclose all applicable charges and obtain authorization and verification for product and service charges to be billed.  Requires maintenance of records of disputed charges.  Requires billing agents to take reasonable steps to ensure that service providers comply with all applicable requirements.  Provides that violations constitute an unfair and deceptive trade practice.  Effective 01/01/12.

 

CPC, JUD

HB 481

Status

RELATING TO GAS PIPELINE SYSTEMS.

Authorizes the public utilities commission to establish, inspect, and enforce safety standards consistent with federal safety standards for gas pipelines.

 

CPC, FIN

HB 663

Status

RELATING TO CONTRACTS.

Requires clear and conspicuous language disclosing any automatic renewal clauses and language explaining how to cancel the contract in all commercial contracts and offers where the contract automatically renews.

 

CPC, JUD

HB 110

Status

RELATING TO FREEDOM OF INFORMATION.

Clarifies that a license applicant does not have a significant privacy interest in records that show relevant experience, trade examination results, or adequate bonding.  Makes such information contained in government records subject to disclosure.

 

CPC, JUD

HB 112

Status

RELATING TO CABLE TELEVISION SYSTEMS.

Allows the director of commerce and consumer affairs to designate an access organization to oversee public, educational, and governmental channels on cable television.

 

CPC, FIN

HB 315

Status

RELATING TO CONTROL OPERATORS.

Clarifies the responsibilities of the Pest Control Operators during inspection.

 

CPC

HB 319

Status

RELATING TO OWNER-BUILDERS.

Clarifies that owners with open permits are qualified for an exemption for the sale or lease of a property by an owner-builder in the event of hardship.

 

CPC

HB 139

Status

RELATING TO REAL ESTATE APPRAISERS.

Expands the scope of the current law to include the regulation of real estate appraisal management companies in order to comply with the federal Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery, and Enforcement Act of 1989 ("FIRREA") and the federal rules adopted thereunder.

 

CPC, JUD

HB 320

Status

RELATING TO BROKER PRICE OPINIONS.

Permits a licensed real estate broker or real estate sales person to prepare broker price options for use in real estate transactions where an appraisal is not required by law or otherwise.

 

CPC, JUD

HB 316

Status

RELATING TO INSURANCE RECORDS.

Exempts insurance producers from keeping records of insurance transactions for motor vehicle and homeowners' insurance contracts where records are customarily maintained in the offices of the insurer.

 

CPC

HB 751

Status

RELATING TO INSURANCE FRAUD.

Requires individuals, entities, and insurers to cooperate with insurance fraud investigations.  Bars restitution for failure to cooperate.  Effective 7/1/2011.

 

CPC, JUD

HB 798

Status

RELATING TO TAXATION.

Imposes the general excise tax on the gross income derived from a life settlement, bank-owned life, or corporate-owned life insurance policy issued after 6/30/2011.  States expressly that the tax shall not be imposed on any compensation received by an insured for the transfer of the policy or designation of a beneficiary or any death benefit received by a person related to the insured.

 

CPC, FIN

HB 802

Status

RELATING TO TAXATION.

Temporarily increases the tax rate for banks and other financial corporations, effective from 07/01/11 until 12/31/15.

 

CPC, FIN

HB 803

Status

RELATING TO TAXATION.

Repeals requirement that $2,000,000 of tax revenues from banks and other financial corporations be deposited into the compliance resolution fund.  Authorizes the commissioner of financial institutions to expedite the imposition or increase of fees on banks and other financial corporations.  Effective 07/01/11 and sunsets on 12/31/15.

 

CPC, FIN

HB 560

Status

RELATING TO FINANCE.

Requires the Director of Finance to transfer funds from the Compliance Resolution Fund to fund all interest payments on General Obligation bonds issued on behalf of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs and to annually collect funds from the Compliance Resolution Fund to pay the interest payments on the General Obligation bonds beginning on July 1, 2011.

 

CPC, FIN

 

 

 

 

DECISION MAKING TO FOLLOW

 

Persons wishing to offer comments should submit testimony at least 24 hours prior to the hearing with a transmittal cover indicating:

·     Testifier's name with position/title and organization;

·     The Committee the comments are directed to;

·     The date and time of the hearing;

·     Measure number; and

·     The number of copies the Committee is requesting. 

 

While every effort will be made to copy, organize, and collate all testimony received, materials received on the day of the hearing or improperly identified or directed to the incorrect office, may be distributed to the Committee after the hearing.

 

Submit testimony in ONE of the following ways:

PAPER:  1 (one) copy (including an original) to Room 320 in the State Capitol;

FAX:       For comments less than 5 pages in length, transmit to 586-8400 (for Oahu) or 1-800-535-3859 (for Neighbor Islanders without a computer to submit testimony through e-mail or the Web);

EMAIL:  For comments less than 5 pages in length, transmit to [email protected] ; or

WEB:      For comments less than 4MB in size, transmit from the Web page at http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/emailtestimony.

 

Testimony submitted will be placed on the Legislative Web site after the hearing adjourns.  This public posting of testimony on the Web site should be considered when including personal information in your testimony.

 

If you require special assistance or auxiliary aids and/or services to participate in the House public hearing process (i.e., sign or foreign language interpreter or wheelchair accessibility), please contact the Committee Clerk at 586-6172 or email your request for an interpreter to [email protected] at least 24 hours prior to the hearing for arrangements.  Prompt requests submitted help to ensure the availability of qualified individuals and appropriate accommodations.

 

Selected meetings are broadcast live.  Check the current legislative broadcast schedule on the "Capitol TV" Web site at www.capitoltv.org OR call 536-2100.

 

 

 

 

 

________________________________________

Rep. Robert N. Herkes

Chair