Senate Standing Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection

Okay. Good morning and welcome. This is our joint committee hearing decision making agenda between the Hawaii State Senate Committees on Commerce and Consumer Protection and the Committee on Judiciary. There are four measures being considered in this decision making hearing. They have all been heard by their prior subject matter committees and passed out. So we received written testimony.

We will not be taking oral testimony. And here are the recommendations. The first measure, SB 608, SD 1, relating to veterans rights and benefits. The recommendation is to pass with amendments, and I will yield... There are substantive, technical, non-substantive amendments to be made. And I'll yield to the Vice Chair, who is also the PSM Chair, for further amendments.

Okay. We received recommendations on Senate Bill 608 from one of the benefit consultant groups. And so the proposal is to strike lines 8 through 14 on page 2, line 21 on page 2, and line 1 on page 3, and to add an amendment which is language that was originally in Senate Bill 603.

Any person seeking to receive compensation for advising, assisting, or consulting with any individual in connection with any veterans benefits matter must, before rendering any services, memorialize the specific terms under which the amount to be paid will be determined in a written agreement signed by both parties. Compensation must be purely contingent upon an increase in benefits awarded.

And if successful, compensation must not exceed five times the amount of the monthly increase in benefits awarded based on the claim or 12,500, whichever is the lesser amount. No initial fee may be charged by person advising, assisting, or consulting on individual on a veteran's benefit matter. And I believe copies of this recommendation were sent to Members of the Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee as well as Judiciary.

No, I did not get the amendment, but I read the testimony.

Are there any questions and comments, Members? Senator San Buenaventura.

So we are going to allow these people to charge excessive and unreasonable fees? Because you're striking that portion out, which is the very reason that we're having this SB 608. That's what page two that you're striking out says, that no person shall receive excessive or unreasonable fees. And so you're striking that portion out.

That portion is taken from Code of Federal Regulations, which basically has been shown to incentivize mostly legal types of services and veterans for foreign affairs types of certified programs. And it would seem that if we put the appropriate guardrails in that are proposed by the amendment from Senate Bill 603, we would allow all categories to be able to compete.

But you would have specific dollar amounts specified as to what would be a reasonable amount. In most of the testimony that we received in the Public Safety and Military Affairs Committee last year, the testimony was strongly in favor of Senate Bill 603. And Senate Bill 608, during last year's hearing, did not receive any positive testimony.

Okay. But in this case though I'm looking at testimony. All testimony was strongly in favor of 608 as is, except for that one veterans benefits that apparently makes money off of this. So I'm going to be voting with reservations. I understand your concerns.

Well, so noted on our side. That's for your vote in JDC. I would also note that the Veterans Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaii submitted testimony in opposition as well. Are there any other comments or questions?

We are keeping the defective date on this?

Yeah. Yes. Okay. If not, Vice Chair for the vote. Passing with amendments. Chair votes aye.

Thank you. Vice Chair also votes aye. [Roll Call] Your recommendation is adopted.

Same recommendation. Same recommendation for JDC. Members, any questions, concerns? If not, Senator Gabbard.

On SB 608 to pass with amendments, SD 1. [Roll Call]

Measure's adopted.

Thank you.

Thank you very much. Next measure is SB 2053 SD1 relating to transportation. The recommendation on this measure is to pass with a defective effective date of July 1, 2050. Members, any discussion? If not, passing with amendments, Chair votes aye.

Thank you. Of the CPN Members present, any voting with reservations or objections? Hearing none. Your recommendation is adopted.

Thank you.

Same recommendation for JDC Members. Any questions or concerns? If not, Vice Chair.

for JDC with all Members present, are there any no votes or reservations? Seeing none, the measure's adopted.

Okay. Thank you very much. The next measure is SB 2761 SD1 relating to social media. The recommendation on this measure is to pass with amendments adopting the Attorney General's recommended changes to clarify the preamble and consistency amendments with Chapter 481B.

And we're also going to amend the definition of social media platform to address the AG's concerns and include more than, well, as noted in the testimony. Any discussion, Members?

Yeah, comment.

Senator Awa.

The concern here I see is the content that these kids see. But a ban, I think that that decision, that generation will look at it and just rebel and find something else. I think to address the actual problem here, we have to address parents and allowing parents to have the time to spend with their kids to teach.

And those are issues that we discuss with housing affordability and all that. But really a ban, I don't see as the way, it's a band aid. But the other ones to address are a lot harder. But voting no for that reason. Thank you.

So no. Chair.

A question about the AG's amendments. So that expanded the definition of social media platform, that would expand it to include all social media platforms. Is that, am I understanding?

That's right.

Okay, thank you.

Well, and I guess just to comment on your opposition, Senator Awa, the you know, I think the overall objective of this measure is less about regulating the content of speech online and more about what has increasingly emerged in science, in data and in the experiences of citizens across the country is the potentially problematic and addictive nature of some of the elements of the platforms, the short videos or reels in particular.

There is a lot of emerging data about how problematic that is for adolescents in particular. But honestly, my mom is online too much and she's on too many reels and so am I and so is my wife.

And so this is a conversation that I would like us to keep moving as a body in this session along alongside other potentially challenging and problematic tech applications that are just becoming a part of our society and we are increasingly being asked to to deal with. But your concerns are noted. Any other questions or comments? Okay. If not passing with amendments. Chair votes aye.

Thank you. Of the CPN Members present, are there any voting with reservations or objections?

No. Thanks.

Your objection is noted. Senator McKelvey. Okay, the recommendation is adopted.

Thank you.

Same recommendation for JDC. Any questions, comments? If not, Senator Gabbard.

With all Members present, are there any no votes or reservations?

No.

Noting that no vote. The measure's adopted.

Thank you very much. Last measure on the agenda is SB 3035 SD1 relating to real estate transactions. The recommendation is to pass with amendments including qualify, by including qualifying language so the disclosure requirement applies to all reasonably known erosion control structures. And we'll defect the effective date of this measure to July 1, 2050. Any discussion Members? Okay. Seeing none. Vice Chair. Passing with amendments. Chair votes aye.

Thank you. Of the CPN Members present, any voting with reservations or objections? Hearing none. Your recommendation is adopted.

Thank you.

Same recommend recommendation for JDC Members. Any questions or concerns? If not, Vice Chair.

With all Members present, are there any no votes or reservations? Seeing none. The measure's adopted.

So JDC Members, we do have another diem hearing down, but it's downstairs at 10 o'Clock. Mahalo.

Thank you. We're adjourned.

Good morning and welcome to the Hawaii State Senate Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection. This is our Thursday, February 2026 9:45am decision making agenda in Conference Room 229 at the Hawaii State Capitol. We're here to make recommendations on a number of measures that were previously heard in their respective subject matter committees.

The first measure is SB 847 SD1 relating to psychologists. The recommendation on this measure is to pass with amendments.

We're going to amend the bill, to institute a pilot on the island of Kauai, with SHPDA conducting, overseeing the pilot and conducting a report due at the conclusion of the third year with a recommendation on whether to expand the pilot to other underserved areas, to end the pilot or to make prescribing authority permanent statewide.

There are also some technical, non substantive amendments and we'll make the bill effective upon approval. Members, any comments or questions? Seeing none. Passing with amendments, Chair votes aye.

Thank you. Of the CPN Members present, any voting with reservations, objections? Hearing none, your recommendation is adopted.

Thank you very much. The next measure is SB 874, SD 1, relating to veterinary medicine. The recommendation is to pass with amendments, defecting the effective date of this measure to July 1, 2050. Any discussion? Okay. Seeing none. Passing with amendments. Chair votes aye.

Thank you. Of the Members present, anybody voting with reservations or objections? Hearing none. Your recommendation is adopted.

Thank you very much. Next measure is SB 2031, SD 1, relating to consumer protection. The recommendation is to pass this measure out with a defective effective date of July 1, 2050. Any comments or questions? Seeing none. Passing with amendments. Chair votes aye.

Thank you. Of the Members present, any voting with reservations, objections? Hearing none. Your recommendation is adopted.

Thank you. Next measure is SB 2032, relating to consumer protection. The recommendation is to pass with amendments, adopting the Contractors Licensing Board's requested amendment, and really a clarifying amendment. There are also some technical, non-substantive amendments. Any discussion? Seeing none. Passing with amendments, Chair votes aye.

Thank you. Of the Members present, any voting with reservations, objections? Hearing none. Your recommendation is adopted.

Thank you very much. The next measure is SB 2050, SD 1, relating to chiropractic. The recommendation is to pass with technical... Oh, looks like there are no techs and there is a defective effective date. So we will pass this measure out unamended. Any comments or questions? Okay. Seeing none. Passing unamended. Chair votes aye.

Thank you. Of the Members present, any voting with reservations, objections? Hearing none. Your recommendation is adopted.

Thank you very much. The next measure is SB 2061, SD 1, relating to residential condominiums. The recommendation is to pass this measure with technical, non-substantive changes. Any discussion? If not, passing with amendments. Chair votes aye.

Thank you. Of the Members present, any voting with reservations? Thank you, Senator McKelvey. Or objections? Hearing none. Your recommendation is adopted.

Okay, thank you very much. Next measure is SB 2102, SD 1, relating to industrial hemp. The recommendation is to pass with amendments, adopting the Attorney General's recommended amendments and defecting the effective date of this measurement to July 1, 2050. Any discussion? Seeing none. Passing with amendments. Chair votes aye.

Thank you. Of the Members present, any voting with reservations, objections? Hearing none. Your recommendation is adopted.

Okay, thank you. The next measure is SB 2103, SD 1, relating to pesticides. The recommendation on this measure is to pass with amendments, adopting the DLNR's requested amendments, adopting the structural insulation amendment requested by the ACC, American Chemistry Council, related to termite treated insulation, and defecting the effective date of this measure to July 1, 2050 to keep the distance discussion going.

I'm also going to propose in the committee report some reflection on the Department of Ag and Biosecurity's outstanding questions, including the need for delayed implementation. Any discussion? Seeing none. Passing with amendments. Chair votes aye.

Thank you. Of the Members present, any voting with reservations, objections? Hearing none. Your recommendation is adopted.

Thank you very much. The next measure is SB 2106, SD 1, relating to health. After reviewing the testimony, it looks like there are just a number of issues that we need to try and address to keep this measure moving. So the recommendation is to defer indefinitely and to try and work that out over the interim.

If there are no objections, we'll move to SB 2398, SD 1, relating to residential housing. The recommendation on this measure is to pass with amendments, adopting the requested amendments from Hawaii Appleseed. Any discussion? Okay. Seeing none. Passing with amendments. Chair votes aye.

Thank you. Of the Members present, any voting with reservations, objections? Hearing none. The recommendation is adopted.

Thank you very much. The last measure on this agenda is SB 3045, SD1 relating to health insurance. The recommendation on this measure is to pass unamended. I would just like to note that we have received the sunrise analysis from the auditor's report, but it came out two days ago.

So I'm gonna recommend we move this measure with a defective date. It already has a defective date. And give everyone a little bit of time to absorb the report rather than just killing the bill right away. Any comments or questions?

Chair.

Yes.

No, I appreciate that. I happened to read the auditor's report. It was all of one paragraph long and it said if you want to pass this, go for it. So I appreciate you moving it. Go for it.

Okay, good. If there are no other comments or questions, then Vice chair for the vote. Passing unamended, Chair votes aye.

Thank you. Of the Members present, any voting with reservations, objections? Hearing none, your recommendation is adopted.

Good. Thank you very much. We're adjourned.