Consumer protection

Hurricane Relief Fund
(SB 838 SD2 HD1 CD1)
Would use interest income from the $200 million in hurricane reserve trust fund to finance a two-year pilot program to provide grants to residential property owners for installing wind damage mitigation devices.

Cybersquatting
(SB 1276 SD1 HD1 CD1)
Prohibits cybersquatting, the bad faith registration of domain names on the Internet. People who register a domain name in "bad faith" can be liable for civil damages.

Telemarketing fraud
(SB 97 HD1)
Creates a criminal offense of telemarketing fraud involving use of a telephone and involving direct or implied claims of receiving anything of value or of recovering losses from a prize promotion.

Speeding motorists
(SB 123 HD1 SD1 CD1)
Imposes $250 fines for motorists who speed through school zones or construction zones.

Drug donations
(HB 644 HD1 SD2 CD1)
Protects from civil liability drug manufacturers or pharmacists who donate prescription drugs and medical supplies to the needy.

Hurricane refunds
Would have refunded $200 million from the Hawai'i Hurricane Relief Fund to the policy holders who paid into the fund to obtain wind damage coverage.

Advanced directives
Would establish a mechanism to allow individuals to state their mental health treatment preferences at a time when the individual is able to make informed decisions about treatment.

Antitrust lawsuits
Would amend antitrust and unfair competition law to allow any person to bring a lawsuit for enforcement.

Workers' compensation
Changes current medical fee schedule for workers' compensation reimbursement from 110% of Medicare to the annually adjusted federal workers' compensation medical fee schedule for use in Hawai'i. The measure passed the Senate but a similar bill died in the House Labor Committee.

Loan fees
Would authorize additional fees and charges that may be assessed by a financial services loan company in consumer loan transactions.

Mental health insurance
Would add major depression to definition of serious mental illness and would have repealed the lifetime cap of not less than two treatment episodes for alcohol or drug dependence.

Unlicensed contractors
Would require unlicensed contractors (when found) from keeping the money paid to them and require reimbursement of these moneys in a civil action to recover for work done.

Bank machines
Would have set a $1 cap on automated teller machine fees.

Car headlights
Would require all motor vehicles to be operated with headlights on all the time.

Ticket scalping
Would make ticket scalping a misdemeanor.

Quick divorces
Would eliminate the six-month waiting period for new Hawai'i residents before they can obtain a divorce in Hawai'i Family Court.

Uninsured vehicles
Would establish a computer database for insured motor vehicles and authorized the license revocation and license plate confiscation for uninsured vehicles.

Long term care
Would establish a state non-refundable income tax credit equal to 50 per cent of premium costs paid, up to a maximum of $1,000 per taxable year to offset costs of long-term care insurance.