SB 2396 Hawaii Senate · 2026 Regular Session

RELATING TO PROPERTY.

Summary

Requires the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs to establish and maintain a Registry of Agents available for public access on the Office of Consumer Protection's website. Requires an absentee owner or landlord to register any agents managing a property on the owner's or landlord's behalf with the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs. Prohibits an absentee owner or landlord from designating a tenant as an agent. Requires members of a condominium association who live outside the State or on another island of the State from where the unit is located to provide the association's board with the contact information of a designated on-island agent for the unit, which shall be included on the address list maintained by the association. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Bill status passed both 4 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Apr 2026

Senate Passage

Mar 2026

House Passage

Apr 2026

Governor

Introduced Jan 20, 2026 Last action Apr 28, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

SB2396_HD1 → SB2396_SD1 · 4 edits

MODERATE

This bill shifts from establishing a new registry for absentee property owners to primarily enforcing penalties for failing to register an agent. It removes specific registration deadlines, adds a new penalty section for non-compliance, and updates the effective date from the year 3000 to 2050.

Scope change

The bill's scope shifted from creating a new administrative registry to focusing on enforcement and penalties for absentee landlords and condominium owners who fail to maintain an on-island agent.

REQUIREMENT

Removed specific deadlines for registering agents and notifying the department of changes, replacing them with a blank placeholder for future rulemaking.

Revised language to remove the specific requirement that an agent must reside on the same island, broadening the definition of an acceptable agent.

ENFORCEMENT

Added a new penalty provision imposing a fine equal to one month's rent or $2,000 for absentee owners who fail to register an agent.

TIMELINE

Changed the effective date of the act from July 1, 3000, to July 1, 2050.

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Apr 28, 2026

Upper · Passed

Conference committee meeting to reconvene on 04-29-26 2:30PM; CR 224.

upper

Apr 27, 2026

Upper · Passed

Conference committee meeting to reconvene on 04-28-26 2:30PM; Conference Room 224.

upper

Apr 24, 2026

Lower · Passed

Bill scheduled for Conference Committee Meeting on Monday, 04-27-26 2:30PM in conference room 224.

lower

Apr 10, 2026

Amended

Senate disagrees with House amendments.

upper

Apr 10, 2026

Introduced

Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 508).

upper

Apr 9, 2026

Lower · Passed

Passed Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran excused (1). Transmitted to Senate.

lower

Mar 31, 2026

Lower · Passed

The committee on CPC recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Matayoshi, Grandinetti, Chun, Ilagan, Iwamoto, Kong, Marten, Tam, Pierick; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Ichiyama, Lowen.

lower

Mar 12, 2026

Committee

Referred to CPC, referral sheet 17

lower

Mar 10, 2026

Introduced

Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 227) in amended form (SD 1).

lower

Mar 10, 2026

Upper · Passed

Passed Third Reading, as amended (SD 1). Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none . Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.

upper

Mar 6, 2026

Upper · Passed

Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1).

upper

Mar 4, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on CPN recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in CPN were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) Keohokalole, Fukunaga, Lamosao, McKelvey, Awa; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.

upper

Feb 26, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on CPN added the measure to the public hearing scheduled on 03-04-26 9:35AM; CR 229 & Videoconference.

upper

Jan 28, 2026

Committee

Referred to CPN.

upper

Jan 21, 2026

Introduced

Introduced and passed First Reading.

upper

Jan 20, 2026

Introduced

Pending Introduction.

upper

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors