SB 2838 Hawaii Senate · 2026 Regular Session

RELATING TO CONDOMINIUMS.

SB 2838 requires condominium associations to provide certain association documents (like bylaws or financial reports) to unit owners in electronic format instead of paper. This directly affects condominium management groups and their residents, who would receive these documents digitally. The bill mandates this change starting July 1, 2050, though it is still pending review by committees as of early 2026. The requirement aims to modernize document access but does not alter current legal obligations for associations.

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Feb 2026

Senate Passage

Feb 2026

House Passage

Governor

Introduced Jan 23, 2026 Last action Feb 20, 2026

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What changed between versions

SB2838 → SB2838_SD1 · 5 edits

MODERATE

This bill was revised to remove a proposal for creating a new state online portal and the associated funding fees, shifting the focus entirely to requiring condominium associations to provide existing documents to owners in electronic format. The changes simplify the legislation by eliminating the administrative burden of establishing a new government database and the costs required to fund it, while retaining the core mandate for associations to make records available digitally to unit owners.

Scope change

The bill's scope was narrowed from a comprehensive overhaul involving a state-run online portal and new fees to a specific requirement for associations to provide documents electronically to owners. The applicability of the new fee and portal requirements was removed entirely.

FISCAL

Eliminated the proposal to create a new online portal for condominium documents and the associated biennial registration fees intended to fund that portal.

REMOVED

Deleted the legislative findings and purpose sections that justified the creation of a state-run online portal and the associated funding mechanisms.

REQUIREMENT

Added a specific requirement for associations to provide electronic copies of governing documents and records to unit owners upon request at no cost.

TIMELINE

Changed the effective date of the Act from immediate approval to July 1, 2050, likely to allow time for associations to update their systems for electronic document delivery.

ENFORCEMENT

Removed provisions authorizing unit owners to recover attorneys' fees specifically for enforcement actions related to the failure to provide documents to the state portal.

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Feb 20, 2026

Upper · Passed

Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM.

upper

Feb 20, 2026

Committee

Reported from CPN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2651) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.

upper

Feb 18, 2026

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, Lamosao, Awa; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) McKelvey.

upper

Feb 5, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on CPN has scheduled a public hearing on 02-13-26 9:30AM; CR 229 & Videoconference.

upper

Jan 30, 2026

Committee

Referred to CPN, WAM.

upper

Jan 23, 2026

Introduced

Introduced.

upper

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors