STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2353

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2680

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Transportation and Culture and the Arts, to which was referred S.B. No. 2680 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MOTOR VEHICLE RENTAL FEES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to prohibit the charging of a fee for a motor vehicle lessee's spouse by a lessor under certain conditions.

Your Committee received comments on this measure from Avis Budget Group and Enterprise Mobility.

Your Committee finds that recently hidden fees exacted by companies on consumers has increased dramatically, with even the Federal Trade Commission proposing new restrictions on fees across all industries, from hotels to ticket sellers to car rental companies. Your Committee further finds that tourism industries are increasingly resorting to hidden fees to recoup losses accrued during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. This measure will prevent additional excessive fees by car rental companies and protect consumers from overypaying on hidden fees.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Transportation and Culture and the Arts that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2680 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Transportation and Culture and the Arts,

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CHRIS LEE, Chair