SB 253 Hawaii Senate · 2026 Regular Session

RELATING TO CONDOMINIUM RESERVES.

Summary
Requires a detailed budget summary to contain all required information without referring the reader to other portions of the budget or reserve study. Excludes the good faith defense for associations whose boards adopt a budget that omits the required detailed budget summary. Clarifies a unit owner's standing and the association's burden of proving substantial compliance. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
Bill status passed both 4 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2025
Committee Review
Apr 2025
Senate Passage
Mar 2025
House Passage
Apr 2025
Governor
Introduced Jan 13, 2025 Last action Apr 21, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

SB253_SD1 SB253_SD2 · 4 edits
MODERATE
This bill revision adds a requirement for condominium associations to include a detailed budget summary that stands alone without referencing other documents. It also removes the 'good faith' defense for associations that fail to provide this summary and changes the legal standard for unit owners suing over budget compliance from 'compliance' to 'substantial compliance'.
Scope change
The bill's scope remains focused on condominium associations in Hawaii, but the enforcement mechanism is broadened by removing exemptions for good faith errors and raising the bar for what constitutes sufficient compliance.
REQUIREMENT

Added a mandatory requirement for a detailed budget summary containing specific financial details, such as revenue, expenses, reserve fund balances, and reserve study projections, that must be self-contained.

Updated the description of the budget summary to explicitly state it must contain all required information without referring readers to other parts of the budget or reserve study.

ENFORCEMENT

Removed the 'good faith' defense, meaning associations can no longer claim they did not know they were omitting the required budget summary details.

Changed the legal standard for unit owners bringing lawsuits from proving the board failed to comply to proving the board failed to substantially comply.

Floor votes

How they voted

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

Actions timeline

Total actions
39
Key actions
9
Committee
11
Amendments
1
Apr 10, 2025
Amended
Senate disagrees with House amendments.
upper
Apr 10, 2025
Introduced
Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 633).
upper
Apr 8, 2025
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
Apr 2, 2025
Lower · Passed
The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Poepoe, Belatti, Hashem, Kahaloa, Perruso, Takayama, Todd, Shimizu; Ayes with reservations: none; 1 Noes: Representative(s) Garcia; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Cochran.
lower
Mar 18, 2025
Committee
Reported from CPC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1295) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to JHA.
lower
Mar 12, 2025
Lower · Passed
The committee on CPC recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 8 Ayes: Representative(s) Matayoshi, Chun, Ilagan, Iwamoto, Kong, Marten, Tam, Pierick; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Ichiyama, Lowen.
lower
Mar 6, 2025
Committee
Referred to CPC, JHA, referral sheet 19
lower
Mar 4, 2025
Introduced
Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 115) in amended form (SD 2).
lower
Mar 4, 2025
Upper · Passed
Report Adopted; Passed Third Reading, as amended (SD 2). Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: Senator(s) San Buenaventura. Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.
upper
Feb 26, 2025
Upper · Passed
The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in JDC were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Rhoads, Gabbard, Chang; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 1 No(es): Senator(s) San Buenaventura; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Awa.
upper
Feb 21, 2025
Upper · Passed
The committee(s) on JDC will hold a public decision making on 02-26-25 9:40AM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference.
upper
Feb 14, 2025
Upper · Passed
Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to JDC.
upper
Feb 14, 2025
Committee
Reported from CPN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 508) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to JDC.
upper
Feb 7, 2025
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, McKelvey, Richards, Awa; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.
upper
Jan 31, 2025
Upper · Passed
The committee(s) on CPN has scheduled a public hearing on 02-05-25 10:00AM; Conference Room 229 & Videoconference.
upper
Jan 27, 2025
Committee
Re-Referred to CPN, JDC.
upper
Jan 21, 2025
Committee
Referred to CPN.
upper
Jan 15, 2025
Introduced
Introduced and passed First Reading.
upper
Jan 13, 2025
Introduced
Pending Introduction.
upper
3 primary · 3 co-sponsors

Sponsors