STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1274-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2026

RE: S.B. No. 2354

S.D. 1

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 Economic Development & Technology, to which was referred S.B. No. 2354, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require the Director of Commerce and Consumer Affairs to:

(1) Make certain contact information for newly registered entities available online, as part of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs' Business Registration Division Database of Public Information; and

(2) Transmit this contact information to the Business Development and Support Division of the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Business Development and Support Division of the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; Retail Merchants of Hawaiʻi; Hawaii Food Industry Association; Chamber of Commerce Hawaii; and Maui Chamber of Commerce. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs; Trained by Tina LLC; and one individual.

Your Committee finds that small businesses are the economic foundation of the State. Your Committee further finds that despite increasing investments in the State's small business sector, there is limited publicly available information regarding newly registered small businesses, limiting the ability of these businesses to connect with local resources and support. This measure ensures that small businesses have the ability to connect with such resources by making contact information for newly registered small businesses available online.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Economic Development & Technology that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2354, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2354, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Economic Development & Technology,

____________________________

GREGGOR ILAGAN, Chair