CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 176-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: S.B. No. 2726

S.D. 2

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. 2726, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CONDOMINIUMS,"

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) Require the Legislative Reference Bureau to conduct a study on condominium property regimes and the approaches used in certain other jurisdictions with respect to ombudsman programs, licensing for management, alternative dispute resolution, governmental regulation, owner education, and owner access to condominium documents;

(2) Extend the deadline for the final report and the cease date for the Condominium Property Regime Task Force to June 30, 2026; and

(3) Make an appropriation for the study.

Your Committee on Conference finds that the Condominium Property Regime Task Force established by Act 189, Session Laws of Hawaii 2023, requested the Legislature to task the Legislative Reference Bureau with studying and reporting on several specific subjects relating to condominium property regimes that would enable the Task Force to thereafter recommend legislation suitable to Hawaii's needs on an informed and objective basis. Therefore, this measure requires and appropriates funds for the Legislative Reference Bureau to complete the requested study of condominium subjects in other states and provides additional time for the Condominium Property Regime Task Force to complete its work based on the Legislative Reference Bureau's future findings and recommendations.

Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting a general fund appropriation amount of $200,000 for the Legislative Reference Bureau to conduct the requested study;

(2) Making an appropriation in the amount of $150,000 from the Condominium Education Trust Fund established pursuant to section 514B-71, Hawaii Revised Statutes, for the Legislative Reference Bureau to conduct the requested study, subject to certain conditions;

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

(4) 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. 2726, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2726, S.D. 2, 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

____________________________ JACKSON D. SAYAMA Co-Chair	____________________________ JARRETT KEOHOKALOLE Chair
____________________________ LISA KITAGAWA Co-Chair	____________________________ CAROL FUKUNAGA Co-Chair
	____________________________ SHARON MORIWAKI Co-Chair