S.C.R. NO. 181 Summary

• Director of Commerce and Consumer Affairs requested to convene a mortgage foreclosure fraud task force to develop recommendations for improving mortgage fraud protections in Hawaii.

• Task force shall review existing federal and state laws protecting home loan borrowers, assess enforcement effectiveness, and examine strengthening measures including dual-track foreclosure rules, single point of contact requirements, tenant rights, robosigning violations, and deficiency judgement elimination.

• Task force shall develop a Hawaii Homeowner Bill of Rights modeled on California's approach and propose statutory protections and stronger mortgage servicing best practices.

• Task force composition includes the Director of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (chair), Attorney General, Bureau of Conveyances Registrar, University of Hawaii law school representative, mortgage industry representatives, real estate brokers, attorneys for both lenders and borrowers, and public members.

• Task force must submit findings and recommendations to the Legislature no later than 20 days before the 2020 Regular Session convening and shall dissolve on June 30, 2020.