STAND. COM. REP. NO. 723

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 1129

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 1129, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO COMMISSIONERS OF DEEDS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to clarify the Lieutenant Governor's responsibilities regarding the Time Share Commissioners of Deeds Program.

 

     Specifically, the measure:

 

     (1)  Authorizes the Lieutenant Governor, rather than the Governor, to appoint and remove Commissioners of Deeds;

 

     (2)  Authorizes the Lieutenant Governor to adopt rules relating to Commissioners of Deeds;

 

     (3)  Authorizes the Lieutenant Governor to assess and collect fees and administrative fines relating to Commissioners of Deeds;

 

     (4)  Establishes the Commissioner of Deeds Revolving Fund;

 

     (5)  Provides the Lieutenant Governor and employees of the Office of the Lieutenant Governor with immunity from liability as to their conduct relating to Commissioners of Deeds; and

 

     (6)  Increases the surety bond requirement for Commissioners of Deeds from $1,000 to $10,000.

 

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Office of the Lieutenant Governor and ARDA Hawaii.

 

     Your Committee finds that a working group comprising the Office of the Lieutenant Governor, the Department of the Attorney General, the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, the Bureau of Conveyances, and members of the time share industry was convened to examine the Time Share Commissioners of Deeds Program.  Your Committee believes that this measure addresses issues raised by the working group and will provide the Lieutenant Governor with the necessary authority to effectively implement the Commissioners of Deeds Program.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1129, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

 

 

 

________________________________

JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair