Report Title:

Safety Deposit Boxes

Description:

Allows access to safety deposit boxes by persons other than the specific individuals who lease or rent the box.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	742
TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2007
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING TO ACCESS TO SAFETY DEPOSIT BOXES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that Act 228, Session Laws of Hawaii 2006, inadvertently repealed section 412:3-115, Hawaii Revised Statutes, relating to access to safety deposit boxes.  The purpose of this Act is to reinstitute the contents of section 412:3-115.

     SECTION 2.  Chapter 412, Hawaii Revised Statutes is amended by adding a new section to article 3 to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

     "§412:3-   Access to safety deposit box. Unless otherwise provided for in the lease for a safety deposit box, access to the safety deposit box leased or rented to one or more persons may be permitted by a financial institution to any person leasing or renting the safety deposit box, including any person purporting to be the personal representative, authorized agent, guardian, trustee, or other fiduciary for the lessee or renter of the safety deposit box.  The provisions of this section shall apply even though the name of the person appearing on the financial institution's records as the lessee or renter is modified by a qualifying or descriptive term, such as agent or trustee or other word or phrase, indicating that the person may not be the lessee or renter of the safety deposit box in the person's own right.  No financial institution shall be liable for any damages or penalty for allowing or refusing access to or removal of the contents of the safety deposit box under the provisions of this section."

     SECTION 3.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect upon approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

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