CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 72-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: S.B. No. 2132

S.D. 1

H.D. 1

C.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sirs:

Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 2132, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE RESIDENTIAL LANDLORD-TENANT CODE,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Amend the deadline related to the repair of conditions that constitute health or safety violations; and

(2) Increase the amount deducted from a tenant's rent for the tenant's actual expenditures to correct health or safety violations and defective conditions.

Your Committee on Conference finds that when a landlord fails to commence repairs after receiving notice of certain health or safety violations or defective conditions on the leased premises, existing law authorizes the tenant to deduct from their rent not more than $500 as reimbursement for any actual expenditures made to cure the condition. However, this amount is often far below the actual costs and expenses required to cure the condition, forcing tenants, rather than landlords, to pay out of their own pockets to return the property to a habitable condition, which the landlord is required to provide. Your Committee on Conference finds that by increasing the amount that may be deducted from the tenant's rent to not more than $1,000 or one month's rent, whichever is greater, this measure will encourage the prompt maintenance of the property by landlords and safeguard the well-being of tenants.

Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting an effective date of November 1, 2024; and

(2) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2132, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2132, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

____________________________ MARK M. NAKASHIMA Co-Chair	____________________________ JARRETT KEOHOKALOLE Chair
____________________________ DAVID A. TARNAS Co-Chair	____________________________ HERBERT RICHARDS Co-Chair