STAND. COM. REP. NO.  446

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2015

 

RE:   H.B. No. 858

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce, to which was referred H.B. No. 858 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to assist victims of domestic violence by:

 

     (1)  Allowing the early termination of residential rental agreements in certain cases where the tenant or an immediate family household member is a victim of domestic violence; and

 

     (2)  Specifying the procedures and rights of the landlord and tenants under the Residential Landlord-Tenant Code for such instances of domestic abuse.

 

     Ala Kuola, Hawaii State Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Phocused, Catholic Charities Hawaii, and a few individuals testified in support of this measure.  The Domestic Violence Action Center testified in support of the intent of this measure.  The Hawaii Association of REALTORS provided comments on this measure.

 


     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Allowing the landlord to terminate the rental agreement, under certain conditions, if the landlord finds that the remaining tenants do not demonstrate the ability to pay rent; and

 

     (2)  Changing the effective date to November 1, 2112, to encourage further discussion.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 858, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 858, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

ANGUS L.K. McKELVEY, Chair