SB2347 • 2026

RELATING TO THE RESIDENTIAL LANDLORD-TENANT CODE.

Housing

Active

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

Sponsor: CHANG
Last action: 2026-04-20
Official status: Received notice of appointment of House conferees (Hse. Com. No. 787).
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

RELATING TO THE RESIDENTIAL LANDLORD-TENANT CODE.

What This Bill Does

RELATING TO THE RESIDENTIAL LANDLORD-TENANT CODE.
Office of Consumer Protection; Residential Landlord-Tenant Code; Notice of Tenant Rights; Landlord Obligations; Fines Requires the Office of Consumer Protection to periodically publish an accessible, multilingual notice of tenant rights.
Requires the notice to be included in the informational handbook on the Residential Landlord-Tenant Code maintained by the Office.
Requires a landlord to provide a tenant with a copy of the most recent notice of tenant rights in the tenant's preferred language, if available, and subjects the landlord to a fine for failure to do so.

Limits and Unknowns

This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: SB2347 HD1 THE SENATE S.B.

SB2347 HD1 THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
2347 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 S.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII H.D.

SD1

Hawaii published version SD1

Plain English: SB2347 SD1 THE SENATE S.B.

SB2347 SD1 THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
2347 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 S.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE RESIDENTIAL LANDLORD-TENANT CODE .

Bill History

2026-04-20 S
Received notice of appointment of House conferees (Hse. Com. No. 787).
2026-04-20 H
House Conferees Appointed: Grandinetti Chair; Tam, Pierick.
2026-04-16 H
Received notice of disagreement (Sen. Com. No. 710).
2026-04-16 S
Senate disagrees with House amendments.
2026-04-16 S
Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 646).
2026-04-14 H
Passed Third Reading with Representative(s) Shimizu voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Quinlan excused (1). Transmitted to Senate.
2026-04-09 H
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1; placed on the calendar for Third Reading with Representative(s) Garcia, Shimizu voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran excused (1).
2026-04-09 H
Reported from CPC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1968-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and placement on the calendar for Third Reading.
2026-04-07 H
The committee on CPC recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 11 Ayes: Representative(s) Matayoshi, Grandinetti, Chun, Ilagan, Ichiyama, Iwamoto, Kong, Lowen, Marten, Tam, Pierick; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none.
2026-04-02 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by CPC on Tuesday, 04-07-26 2:05PM in House conference room 329 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-03-12 H
Referred to CPC, referral sheet 17
2026-03-12 H
Pass First Reading
2026-03-10 H
Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 214) in amended form (SD 1).
2026-03-10 S
Report adopted; Passed Third Reading. Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none . Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.
2026-03-06 S
One Day Notice 03-10-26.
2026-03-06 S
Reported from JDC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2989) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading.
2026-02-27 S
The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in JDC were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) Rhoads, Gabbard, Chang, San Buenaventura, Awa; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.
2026-02-23 S
The committee(s) on JDC will hold a public decision making on 02-27-26 10:30AM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference.
2026-02-18 S
Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to JDC.
2026-02-18 S
Reported from CPN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2310) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to JDC.
2026-02-10 S
The committee(s) on CPN recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in CPN were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Keohokalole, Fukunaga, Awa; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 2 Excused: Senator(s) Lamosao, McKelvey.
2026-02-03 S
The committee(s) on CPN deferred the measure until 02-10-26 9:30AM; Conference Room 229 & Videoconference.
2026-01-30 S
The committee(s) on CPN has scheduled a public hearing on 02-03-26 9:31AM; Conference Room 229 & Videoconference.
2026-01-26 S
Referred to CPN, JDC.
2026-01-21 S
Introduced and passed First Reading.
2026-01-15 S
Pending Introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO THE RESIDENTIAL LANDLORD-TENANT CODE.
Office of Consumer Protection; Residential Landlord-Tenant Code; Notice of Tenant Rights; Landlord Obligations; Fines
Requires the Office of Consumer Protection to periodically publish an accessible, multilingual notice of tenant rights. Requires the notice to be included in the informational handbook on the Residential Landlord-Tenant Code maintained by the Office. Requires a landlord to provide a tenant with a copy of the most recent notice of tenant rights in the tenant's preferred language, if available, and subjects the landlord to a fine for failure to do so. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

SB2347

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

2347

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to the residential landlord-tenant code
.

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

����
SECTION 1.
�
The legislature finds that Hawaii faces a
severe housing crisis, and that approximately fifty-six per cent of the renters
in the State are rent burdened, meaning over thirty per cent of their income is
dedicated to paying their rent.
�
Many of
these households are increasingly vulnerable to housing cost-burden,
insecurity, and displacement.

����
The legislature further finds that
federal and state laws afford tenants certain protections and rights, including
but not limited to laws that:

����
(1)
�
Safeguard public
health, safety, and welfare by setting forth minimum dwelling unit standards;

����
(2)
�
Establish rights
and responsibilities of tenants and landlords;

����
(3)
�
Establish
processes related to residential evictions; and

����
(4)
�
Protect tenants
from discrimination based on certain classifications.

����
The legislature also finds that
landlord-tenant laws are self-help laws that put the onus on renters to access
their rights through private action.
�

This often presents major barriers to justice for tenants who are often
already overwhelmed, under-resourced, and fearful of retaliation.
�
Without legal expertise, many renters may
struggle to understand and access their rights as articulated in their lease
agreements and under the residential landlord-tenant code.

����
The legislature believes that
providing accessible and accurate information to tenants concerning existing
laws that protect tenants, the rights afforded under such laws, and the
resources available to assist tenants will enable renters to address certain
challenges and potentially assist them to avoid eviction and homelessness.
�
The legislature further believes that
promoting access to accurate information will also improve housing stability
across the state of Hawaii.

����
Accordingly, the purpose of this Act
is to:

����
(1)
�
Require the office
of consumer protection to periodically publish an accessible, multilingual notice
of tenant rights; and

����
(2)
�
Require a landlord
to provide a tenant with a notice of tenant rights upon the signing of a lease.

����
SECTION 2.
�
Chapter 521, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended by adding a new section to part I to be appropriately designated and to
read as follows:

����
"
�521-A
�
Notice of tenant rights; publication.
�
(a)
�

The office of consumer protection shall develop, maintain, and
periodically publish a notice of tenant rights that summarizes the rights of
tenants under chapter 521 and any other applicable federal or state law.

����
(b)
�
The notice of tenant rights shall at a
minimum be:

����
(1)
�
Made available
in printed and electronic formats;

����
(2)
�
Translated into
the most commonly spoken languages in the State, as determined by the office of
consumer protection, in consultation with the office of language access; and

����
(3)
�
Accessible to individuals
with disabilities, including compliance with applicable accessibility standards
for electronic documents.

����
(c)
�
The office of consumer protection shall review
and update the notice of tenant rights no less than once every year, or sooner
as necessary to reflect changes in the applicable law.
"

����
SECTION 3.
�
Chapter 521, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended by adding a new section to part IV to be appropriately designated and
to read as follows:

����
"
�521-B
�
Notice of
tenant rights; disclosure.
�
(a)
�
A landlord shall provide a tenant with a copy
of the notice of tenant rights, either physically or digitally, published by
the office of consumer protection pursuant to section 521-A at or before the
time the tenant signs a written rental agreement.

����
(b)
�
A landlord who fails to comply with this
section shall be subject to a fine of no more than
$ .
"

����
SECTION 4.
�
In codifying the new sections added by
sections 2 and 3 of this Act, the revisor of statutes shall substitute
appropriate section numbers for the letters used in designating the new
sections in this Act.

����
SECTION
5.
�
New statutory material is
underscored.

����
SECTION 6.
�
This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Office of
Consumer Protection; Notice of Tenant Rights

Description:

Requires the Office of Consumer Protection to periodically
publish an accessible, multilingual notice of tenant rights.
�
Requires a landlord to provide a tenant with
a copy of the notice of tenant rights.

The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.