STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2376

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2548

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection, to which was referred S.B. No. 2548 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CONDOMINIUMS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to require employees, applicants, and contracted vendors of condominium associations in employment positions that grant access to security cameras and footage to undergo a background check and be licensed consistent with the requirements in chapter 463, Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS), that governs private investigators and guards.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Palehua Townhouse Association and six individuals.

Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Community Associations Institute; Hawaii First Realty, LLC; and one individual.

Your Committee finds that many condominium boards use security cameras to monitor their building premises as an alternative to hiring security guards, in order to save on operating costs. However, this often requires condominium employees and other contracted vendors to be responsible for, and have access to, security cameras and any corresponding recorded footage. Your Committee finds that because these employees and vendors are, in essence, acting as "guards" under the state private investigators and guards law, they should be subject to a background check and licensing exam consistent with the requirements of chapter 463, HRS. Therefore, this measure requires certain employees, applicants, and vendors of condominium associations to have the proper credentials to protect the condominium owner they are hired to serve.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2040, to encourage further discussion; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2548, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2548, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

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

________________________________

JARRETT KEOHOKALOLE, Chair