SB1529 would require full, upfront price disclosure for transient accommodations in Hawaii. It prohibits charging any fee for a hotel room, motel room, short-term rental, or related service unless that fee was disclosed before booking, and it requires anyone advertising or listing a transient accommodation rate to show the total dollar amount at the time of booking in a clear and conspicuous manner.
The bill specifically requires the disclosed total to include all resort fees, other accommodation-imposed fees, and all applicable taxes and government-imposed fees. It applies broadly to persons and entities that offer, list, advertise, solicit, or display transient accommodations, including hotels, motels, short-term rental platforms, online travel agencies, and metasearch sites. The measure would take effect on January 1, 2026, and it adds a civil penalty of up to $5,000 per violation for persons who knew or should have known they were violating the disclosure requirements.
Impact
SB1529 would amend chapter 481B of the Hawaii Revised Statutes by adding a new section governing transient accommodation pricing disclosures. It would create a statewide “total price” standard for lodging advertisements and booking flows, requiring the full amount due—including resort fees and government taxes and fees—to be shown before booking. The bill would also expose violators to civil penalties and would apply to a wide range of lodging sellers and intermediaries, potentially affecting hotel operators, vacation rental hosts, booking platforms, and advertising services.
Sentiment
The bill’s stated purpose and framing are strongly consumer-protection oriented, emphasizing transparency, fairness, and preventing misleading pricing practices. The absence of recorded committee discussion or votes in the provided materials means there is no documented opposition or support from hearings, but the bill text itself suggests a favorable policy posture toward consumers and a desire to align Hawaii with emerging fee-disclosure practices in other states.
Contention
The main point of contention likely concerns the scope and operational burden of the disclosure mandate. Because the bill applies not only to lodging providers but also to online travel agencies, metasearch sites, and other entities that display prices, affected businesses may argue that the requirement is difficult to implement consistently across different booking channels or that it could increase compliance costs. Another likely issue is the inclusion of all taxes and fees in the advertised total, which may raise questions about how and when those amounts can be calculated and displayed. No specific objections or amendments are provided in the supplied history.
Requires owner of transient accommodation to be present at transient accommodation during short-term rental; establishes short-term rental agreement limit.