STAND. COM. REP. NO.  882-18

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2018

 

RE:   H.B. No. 1621

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce, to which was referred H.B. No. 1621 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CONSUMER PROTECTION,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to require a merchant to include in a refund all shipping and handling charges paid by a purchaser if the goods were damaged or defective prior to the time of sale and the purchaser was not notified of the damage or defect in writing prior to the time of sale.

 

     The Office of Consumer Protection of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs testified in support of this measure.  The Retail Merchants of Hawaii testified in opposition.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Deleting the language requiring a merchant to include in a refund all shipping and handling charges paid by a purchaser if the goods were damaged or defective prior to the time of sale and the purchaser was not notified of the damage or defect in writing prior to the time of sale; and

 

     (2)  Prohibiting merchants from adopting a warranty policy that requires a customer to pay an additional fee to obtain a repair, replacement, or refund for goods returned pursuant to the warranty.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1621, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1621, H.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

ROY M. TAKUMI, Chair