CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 76-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2026

RE: S.B. No. 3255

S.D. 1

H.D. 2

C.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Sir and Madam:

Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 3255, S.D. 1, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CURRENCY,"

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) Authorize cash transactions to be rounded up or down to the nearest five cents, except for cash transactions that total $0.01 or $0.02, which are to be rounded up to $0.05; and

(2) Exempt transactions in which payment is made by demand or negotiable instrument, electronic fund transfer, check, gift card, money order, credit card, or other like instrument or method.

Your Committee on Conference finds that, because the United States Treasury has ceased minting the penny for general circulation, many businesses throughout the State are experiencing a resulting shortage of pennies. This shortage has disrupted the ability to make exact change for cash transactions and has created operational challenges for retailers and other businesses, particularly those that continue to accept cash as a form of payment. This measure authorizes the use of symmetrical rounding, wherein a transaction total is rounded to the nearest five cent increment for cash payments, to continue to facilitate cash transactions in the State.

Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting language to clarify that no person may bring a private action to enforce the measure's provisions;

(2) Inserting language to clarify that any person who engages in cash transaction rounding shall not be subject to section 486-116, Hawaii Revised Statutes, relating to misrepresentations of price;

(3) Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2026; 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. 3255, S.D. 1, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3255, S.D. 1, H.D. 2, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

____________________________ SCOT Z. MATAYOSHI Co-Chair	____________________________ JARRETT KEOHOKALOLE Chair
____________________________ KYLE T. YAMASHITA Co-Chair