STAND. COM. REP. NO. 898-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2026

RE: H.B. No. 1678

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce, to which was referred H.B. No. 1678 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ASSOCIATIONS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to clarify, for elections of board members conducted by cumulative voting for planned community associations and condominium associations, that cumulative voting rights apply to all candidates, including write-in candidates, and that individual votes are used when allocating votes.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Palehua Townhouse Association; Board of Directors of the Association of Apartment Owners of Honolulu Tower; Hawaiʻi State Association of Parliamentarians; Hawaii Council of Community Associations; Associa; and numerous individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from one individual.

Your Committee finds that existing law provides for cumulative voting only for persons nominated in elections for board member and officer positions for condominium associations. This does not account for write-in candidates. This measure expands the authorization for cumulative voting to include write-in candidates, which is consistent with the latest version of Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised and will help ensure that nominations cannot be closed early as a tactic to prevent persons from being elected as write-in candidates.

Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1678, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1678, H.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

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

____________________________

SCOT Z. MATAYOSHI, Chair