Hawaii SB 3018: RELATING TO CONSUMER PROTECTION.

Bill Text

THE SENATE
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026
STATE OF HAWAII
JAN 2 3 2026
S.B. NO. 30(8
A BILL FOR AN ACT
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
RELATING TO CONSUMER PROTECTION.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. The legislature finds that, as the cost of
living continues to increase in the State, it is necessary for
the State to intervene in markets where retailers and goods and
services providers are treating consumers unfairly. The ability
to identify the price of a good or service is a necessity for a
properly functioning economy. Consumers look for prices to
comparison shop and to weigh what a good or service might be
worth. Most consumers rely on price information to answer
critical questions around how much they are able to spend and
save, and how they will meet their basic needs and those of
their families.
The legislature also finds that consumers increasingly face
widespread and growing unfair and deceptive fee practices that
make it harder to identify how much something will ultimately
cost. Unfortunately, the Internet and the ability to purchase
goods or services online have only exacerbated the practice of
charging mandatory junk fees that are not disclosed until after
2026-0420 SB SMA.docx
IIIIIIIHIIIIIIIIIIIIIII III

Page 2
S.B. NO. 301&
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
the transaction begins. The practice of charging junk fees and
other undisclosed mandatory costs is called "drip pricing".
Drip pricing is most prevalent in practices involving fees for
live-event tickets and short-term lodging and other places of
temporary sleeping accommodations, such as hotels, motels, inns,
short-term rentals, and vacation rentals.
The legislature further finds that according to the Federal
Trade Commission, in the last few years alone, tens of thousands
of Americans have expressed displeasure upon discovering the
cost of their hotel stays were significantly higher than
expected due to hidden resort fees and other mandatory charges
in addition to the advertised price. Consumers have also
complained about purchasing tickets to a live-event online and
finding out that the quoted ticket price had almost doubled by
the time they reached the final checkout page. Consumers have
confronted a host of mysterious, mandatory charges labeled as
"convenience", "processing", or "service" fees that are
nondescriptive and confusing. These practices are frustrating
for consumers when they shop for travel and entertainment,
especially because these purchases can represent significant
expenditures to their already strained finances.
2026-0420 SB SMA.docx
MLHHHHHHHH
2

Page 3
S.B. NO. 3018
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
The legislature additionally finds that the Federal Trade
Commission issued a final rule on January 10, 2025, to address
certain unfair or deceptive practices involving fees or charges
for live-event tickets and short-term lodging. This final rule
serves as guidance for the State to enhance its consumer
protection laws and allow consumers to make better informed
decisions when purchasing live-event tickets or deciding where
to stay on a short-term basis by leveling the playing field for
honest businesses in these industries that truthfully and
transparently disclose their pricing information.
Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to make it an
unfair or deceptive act or practice for businesses to:
(1) Offer, display, or advertise the price of live-event
tickets or short-term lodging without clearly and
conspicuously disclosing the total price as
prominently or more prominently than other pricing
information, except the final amount of payment; and
(2) Misrepresent any fees or charges in any offer,
display, or advertisement for the sale of live-event
tickets and short-term lodging.
2026-0420 SB SMA.docx
MHFHMMMnEn
3

Page 4
S.B. NO. 3018
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
SECTION 2. Chapter 481B, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended by adding a new section to part I to be appropriately
designated and to read as follows:
"§481B~ Live event tickets; short-term lodgings; total
price; disclosure required; violations. (a) It shall be an
unfair or deceptive practice in violation of section 480-2 and a
violation of this part for any business to offer, display, or
advertise any price of a covered good or service without clearly
and conspicuously disclosing the total price.
(b) In any offer, display, or advertisement that
represents the price of a covered good or service, a business
shall disclose the total price more prominently than any other
pricing information; provided that when the final amount of
payment for the transaction is displayed, the final amount of
payment shall be disclosed more prominently than, or as
prominently as, the total price.
(c) A business shall disclose clearly and conspicuously,
before the consumer consents to pay for any covered good or
service:
(1) The nature, purpose, and amount of any fee or cha