STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2904

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.B. No. 2327

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 2327 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CONSUMER PROTECTION,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to clarify the scope of powers of the Office of Consumer Protection investigators.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of Consumer Protection of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs.

 

     Your Committee finds that when section 487-10, Hawaii Revised Statutes, was originally enacted in 1969, only police officers or sheriffs were legally authorized to serve legal documents in Hawaii.  As a result, the Legislature decided to explicitly provide police powers to Office of Consumer Protection investigators, so they could also serve subpoenas and service of process.  However, as service of these documents is no longer restricted to police officers and sheriffs, it is no longer appropriate or necessary to extend such broad authority to Office of Consumer Protection investigators.  This measure therefore clarifies that the power and authority of Office of Consumer Protection investigators under section 487-10, Hawaii Revised Statutes, pertains only to the service of process and service of subpoenas.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2327, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary and Labor.

 

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

 

 

 

________________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair