HI SB2938

Requires real estate appraisers acting as arbitrators to make arbitration records, awards, and opinions available to any person upon reasonable request, prohibiting confidentiality restrictions on these documents.

Mandates that unresolved legal issues in arbitrations regarding fair market value, fair market rental, or fair and reasonable rent of real property be submitted for judicial relief under section 658A-5 rather than decided by the appraiser-arbitrator.

Addresses concerns that appraiser-arbitrators in Hawaii's leasehold property disputes have concentrated power to determine market values while operating under confidentiality requirements and acting as appraisers, lawyers, and judges simultaneously.

Responds to high ground rents on Hawaii's leasehold properties by improving transparency and limiting the arbitrator's authority to make legal determinations without professional legal training.