Bill > HB2221

This bill aims to reduce the financial burden on prospective tenants in Hawaii by modifying the Residential Landlord-Tenant Code. It prohibits landlords or their agents from charging an application fee for a criminal background check or credit report if the applicant provides a certified copy of a recent report obtained within the last thirty days. Additionally, landlords cannot charge an application fee if a comprehensive reusable tenant screening report, which allows applicants to share their report with multiple landlords for a period, is available and provided. The bill also mandates that landlords or their agents must provide a certified copy of an applicant's criminal background check or credit report upon request, ensuring transparency and allowing applicants to reuse this information to avoid repeated fees. This legislation is intended to address the significant costs associated with applying for rental units, especially in a competitive housing market, and builds upon a previous law that allowed landlords to charge screening fees but required them to be used only for vetting purposes and any remaining balance to be returned to the applicant.

Business and Industry

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=HB&billnumber=2221&year=2026