SB 1141 Hawaii Senate · 2025 Regular Session

RELATING TO INSURANCE PROTECTIONS.

Summary

Requires insurers offering homeowners insurance policies to comply with certain minimum requirements in cases of losses of owner-occupied residences due to a catastrophic disaster. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Jan 17, 2025 Last action Feb 12, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

SB1141 → SB1141_SD1 · 7 edits

MODERATE

This bill was reformatted from a standard legislative draft to a committee markup version (SD1), which includes metadata headers and changes the disaster definition from 'wildfire' to 'catastrophic disaster' to broaden coverage. The most significant policy change is expanding additional living expense coverage from 24 months to 24 months with two 6-month extensions, while also adding new requirements for debris removal payment and tree/landscaping coverage within 30 days. The bill also adds provisions for furnishing total loss claims and requires insurers to provide better communication channels and status reports to policyholders.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded from specifically addressing wildfire disasters to covering all catastrophic disasters declared by the governor under Chapter 127A, broadening the types of events covered by the insurance protections.

DEFINITION

Changed the disaster definition from 'wildfire' to 'catastrophic disaster' to include broader disaster types beyond just wildfires.

REQUIREMENT

Extended additional living expense coverage to a minimum of 24 months with two 6-month extensions for reconstruction delays, matching the original wildfire provision but now applying to all catastrophic disasters.

Added new requirements for insurers to pay for debris removal within 60 days and tree/landscaping losses within 30 days of documentation.

Added provisions for furnishing total loss claims, requiring insurers to offer 65% of contents coverage without requiring an inventory.

Added requirements for insurers to provide better communication channels, written status reports, and direct contact information to policyholders.

ENFORCEMENT

Added a requirement for the insurance commissioner to adopt rules establishing a simple process for policyholders to submit inventories and expedite reimbursement.

TIMELINE

Added an effective date of July 1, 2050, with the new requirements applying to policies issued or renewed after December 31, 2025.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Feb 12, 2025

Committee

Reported from CPN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 380) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM/JDC.

upper

Feb 4, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on CPN recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in CPN were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Keohokalole, Fukunaga, Richards, Awa; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) McKelvey.

upper

Jan 24, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on CPN has scheduled a public hearing on 01-31-25 9:30AM; Conference Room 229 & Videoconference.

upper

Jan 23, 2025

Committee

Referred to CPN, WAM/JDC.

upper

Jan 17, 2025

Introduced

Introduced.

upper

4 primary · 1 co-sponsor