H.B. 26 Summary

• Adds new Section 481B to Hawaii Revised Statutes making it unlawful for hosting platforms to collect fees for booking services related to transient vacation rentals that are not lawfully certified, registered, or permitted under applicable county ordinance.

• County officers or agencies charged with administering zoning laws shall enforce this section within their respective counties.

• Violation of the booking services prohibition constitutes a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not less than $2,000, in addition to any other remedies available under Chapter 480.

• Defines key terms including "booking service," "hosting platform," "operator," "transient vacation rental," and "county" (Honolulu, Hawaii, Kauai, and Maui counties, with Maui including Kalawao).

• Effective date is July 1, 2019.