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HCR 102

House concurrent resolution congratulating the 2024 8–10 Colchester All-Star Vermont championship Little League Baseball team

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Sarita Austin and 5 co-sponsors

Urges Hawaii’s Real Estate Commission to offer the salesperson exam in Japanese and issue a limited timeshare-only license to pass Japanese-language applicants.

Ceremonial Reading
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Bill Summary · HCR 102

HCR 102 — Summary

Summary / Purpose

HCR 102 is a concurrent resolution urging the Hawaii Real Estate Commission (REC) to permit administration of the full real estate salesperson’s examination in Japanese and to issue a limited real estate salesperson’s license (restricted to the sale of timeshare products in Hawaii) to applicants who pass the Japanese-language exam. The resolution frames this as a measure to promote sales of timeshare products to Japanese visitors and to strengthen Japan’s involvement in and support of Hawaii’s tourism economy.

Key provisions

  • Strongly urges the Real Estate Commission (Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs) to:
    • Allow the real estate salesperson’s written examination to be administered in Japanese; and
    • Issue a real estate salesperson’s license limited to the sale of timeshare products in Hawaii to those who pass the Japanese-language exam.
  • Requests the REC to use its existing statutory authority under chapter 467, Hawaii Revised Statutes, to implement the change (no statutory amendment requested).
  • Directs certified copies of the resolution be transmitted to the DCCA Director and REC leadership.

Who would be affected

  • Real Estate Commission / DCCA: asked to change exam-language offerings and licensing practice.
  • Timeshare industry and operators: could gain access to a larger pool of licensed Japanese-speaking salespersons.
  • Japanese nationals / Japanese-speaking visitors and applicants: potential new pathway to a limited timeshare salesperson license via a Japanese-language exam.
  • Hawaii tourism and local economy: potential increase in repeat visitors and timeshare ownership, per proponents’ rationale.
  • Consumers: buyers interacting with newly licensed Japanese-speaking salespersons.

Rationale cited in the resolution

  • Experience in other jurisdictions suggests higher pass rates for Japanese-language exams could increase licensed sellers and timeshare sales to Japanese visitors.
  • Timeshare owners tend to return regularly and provide sustained economic support.
  • Precedent exists for offering licensing exams in multiple languages in Hawaii (e.g., driver’s license tests).

Procedural / timeline status

  • Introduced: March 6, 2025.
  • Referred to committees (TOU, CPC, etc.), considered and reported in March–April 2025.
  • Adopted by the Legislature in April 2025 (Senate concurrence recorded 04/23/2025; vote noted 1 no—Sen. Awa). Report and resolution adopted; transmitted back to the House.

Potential impacts and considerations

  • Likely effect (per sponsors): increase in licensed Japanese-speaking timeshare salespersons, potential rise in timeshare sales and repeat tourism from Japan, and economic benefit to local communities.
  • Considerations: ensuring translation accuracy and equivalence of exam content, consumer protection and disclosure standards for limited-license salespersons, monitoring for any unintended market or regulatory consequences. The resolution is nonbinding—implementation would depend on REC action under existing statute.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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