STAND. COM. REP. NO. 650

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 369

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Judiciary and Labor, to which was referred S.B. No. 369, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CONDOMINIUMS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to prohibit associations of apartment owners, boards of directors, managing agents, resident managers, condominium owners, and any person acting on behalf of an association of apartment owners or apartment owner from retaliating or discriminating against a condominium owner, board member, or association employee who files a complaint; acts in furtherance of a complaint, report, or investigation of an alleged violation of the State's condominium laws or a condominium's governing documents; or exercises or attempts to exercise any right as a condominium owner.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from one individual.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from five individuals.

 

     Your Committee finds that although many condominium owners are comfortable with raising condominium-related complaints or concerns to their association, its board, a managing agent, or a resident manager, this experience is not universal.  Condominium owners who are not comfortable with bringing up complaints or concerns may fail to do so because of a fear of retaliation.  Accordingly, this measure strengthens the protections afforded to condominium owners by prohibiting condominium associations, boards, managing agents, resident managers, condominium owners, and others from retaliating or discriminating against a condominium owner, among other individuals, under certain circumstances.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary and Labor that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 369, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary and Labor,

 

 

 

________________________________

GILBERT S.C. KEITH-AGARAN, Chair