Senate commerce committee advances multiple condominium bills, defers several for revision

The Hawaii State Senate Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection took up a slate of condominium and common-interest community bills on Feb. 13, hearing hours of testimony before passing several measures with amendments and deferring others for further work.

The committee passed SB 2294—intended to clarify that actions by association boards and managing agents under chapter 514B must comply with applicable laws and regulations—with amendments and a defective effective date of July 1, 2050, to allow additional drafting. Phil Nerney of the Community Associations Institute opposed the original bill as redundant, saying existing law already requires compliance. Homeowners and resident board members, including Susan Trombley and Greg Masecki, urged clearer external enforcement and stronger owner protections, describing incidents where city inspectors deferred enforcement to condo boards.

On proxy forms, SB 2298 drew mixed reactions. Proponents such as Susan Trombley told the committee that proxy options should be clearly explained so owners understand how their proxy votes are used. Opponents, including members of CAI and long‑time owners like Sandy Wong and Greg…