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HB573 • 2026

RELATING TO CONSUMER PROTECTION.

RELATING TO CONSUMER PROTECTION.

Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor
MATSUMOTO, PIERICK
Last action
2025-12-08
Official status
Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on additional measures or awards beyond allowing separate recovery actions.

Consumer Protection Law Changes

This bill changes Hawaii's consumer protection laws to allow people who receive restitution under one law to still sue for unfair practices under another law.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes the rules about when someone can get money back if they were treated unfairly by a business.
  • Makes sure that getting money back does not stop people from suing businesses for unfair practices.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who buy products or services and feel they were treated unfairly.
  • Businesses that might be accused of unfair practices.
  • The Office of Consumer Protection in Hawaii.

Terms To Know

Restitution
Money given back to someone after being taken from them, often as a result of unfair business practices.
Unfair and Deceptive Practices
Actions by businesses that trick or harm consumers in ways that are not fair or honest.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify how much extra money can be awarded to people who were treated unfairly.
  • It is unclear if this change will lead to more lawsuits against businesses for unfair practices.

Bill History

  1. 2025-12-08 D

    Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.

  2. 2025-01-21 H

    Referred to CPC, JHA, referral sheet 2

  3. 2025-01-21 H

    Introduced and Pass First Reading.

  4. 2025-01-17 H

    Pending introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO CONSUMER PROTECTION.
Consumer Protection; Remedies; Penalties; Recovery; Civil Suit
Creates an exemption within the existing limits on recovery to ensure that accepting restitution under chapter 487 does not prohibit an individual from a separate recovery from an action brought under chapter 480 for unfair and deceptive practices.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HB573

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

573

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING
TO CONSUMER PROTECTION
.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

����
SECTION
1
.
�
Section 487-14,
Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

����
"
�487-14
�
Restitution.
�
(a)
�
In any action brought by the director of the
office of consumer protection, the court may include in its orders or judgments
such provisions as may be necessary to effect restitution.
�
Any person in whose favor restitution is
ordered need not accept restitution, but the person's acceptance and full
performance of restitution shall bar recovery by the person of any other
damages in any action on account of the same acts or practices against the
person making restitution.
This section shall not apply to bar actions
brought against parties engaged in unfair or deceptive acts or practices in the
conduct of any trade or commerce within the meaning of section 480-2 and
subject to penalties and remedies under chapter 480.

����
(b)
�

Whenever a corporation is ordered to pay restitution under subsection
(a), the court hearing the action may include in its orders or judgments that
the corporation and the individual directors, officers, or agents of the
corporation who authorized, ordered, or had done, or participated in any of the
unlawful acts and practices which caused, in whole or in part, injuries to any
person, are jointly and severally liable for the payment of restitution.

����
(c)
�

Whenever a domestic or foreign limited liability company is ordered to
pay restitution under subsection (a), the court hearing the action may include
in its orders or judgments that the limited liability company and the
individual members, managers, or agents of the limited liability company who
authorized, ordered, had done, or participated in any of the unlawful acts and
practices that caused, in whole or in part, injuries to any person, are jointly
and severally liable for the payment of restitution.

����
(d)
�

The office of consumer protection may establish and maintain an account
for purposes of holding and disbursing moneys received or recovered by it and
which are due consumers as restitution.

����
(e)
�

The director of the office of consumer protection may assign to a
consumer for collection that portion of any judgment awarding restitution to
that consumer.

����
(f)
�

If a person commits a violation of section 480-2 which is directed
toward, targets, or injures an elder, the court, in addition to the restitution
authorized by [subsection] (a), may award the elder an additional sum up to but
not to exceed the amount of restitution ordered in subsection (a).
�
In determining the amount, if any, of an
award under this subsection, the court shall consider the factors set forth in
section 480-13.5."

����
SECTION 2.
�
New statutory material is underscored.

����
SECTION 3.
�
This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Consumer Protection; Remedies; Penalties; Recovery; Civil Suit

Description:

Creates
an exemption within the existing limits on recovery to ensure that accepting
restitution under chapter 487 does not prohibit an individual from a separate
recovery from an action brought under chapter 480 for unfair and deceptive
practices.

The summary description
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not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.