HawaiiHealth care facility interference would bring fines and jail
People who interfere with health care facilities would face criminal penalties, while affected people and facilities could ask courts to stop violations.
What it does
People would be prohibited from intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly blocking access to a health care facility or disrupting its normal work through listed conduct such as trespassing or threats.
Adults who violate the prohibition would face a petty misdemeanor, with fines and jail terms that increase for repeat offenses.
People and facilities affected by interference could ask a court to stop violations and award damages; the Attorney General could also seek court relief.
Argument forPatients and workers could have more protection from blocked entrances and disrupted care, and a way to ask courts to stop interference.
Argument againstPeople who interfere with a facility could face mandatory jail time, including at least a day for a first offense, even if no one is hurt.
More detail
People would be prohibited from intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly interfering with access to or normal work at a health care facility through the listed conduct. The listed conduct includes blocking passage, unreasonable noise, trespassing, repeated calls meant to disrupt activities, and threats of injury. Federal or state law may provide otherwise. The prohibition does not apply to actions taken as part of a labor demonstration or while exercising the right to strike.
A person age 18 or older who violates the prohibition would be guilty of a petty misdemeanor and subject to the stated fines and jail terms. The criminal penalties apply to people who are 18 or older. For a first offense, the fine would be at least $250 and jail time at least 24 consecutive hours. For a second offense, the fine would be at least $750 and jail time at least seven consecutive days. For later offenses, the fine would be at least $1,000 and jail time could be up to 30 consecutive days.
An aggrieved party could sue in district court to stop further violations and seek damages; the Attorney General could seek court relief. Aggrieved parties include people whose access or care is, or is about to be, disrupted, the facility and its employees or agents, and the facility or property owner. A person need not prove actual damages to prevail. A court could award up to $500 per day of continued violation, or up to $5,000 per day if the aggrieved party is a health care facility, and could issue an order without bond, subject to applicable law. The winning party could recover court costs and reasonable attorney's fees. The Attorney General could act against someone reasonably believed to be violating, or in the course of violating, the chapter.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Jul 7Act 202, 07/07/2026 (Gov. Msg. No. 1304).Latest
- Jul 7Act 202, on 07/07/2026 (Gov. Msg. No. 1304).Became Law
- Apr 24Received notice of passage on Final Reading in House (Hse. Com. No. 823).Minor
- Apr 23Received notice of House reconsideration of action in disagreeing to the amendments proposed by the Senate (Hse. Com. No. 815).Minor
- Vote recorded Passed Final Reading as amended in SD 1. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 23House agrees to Senate amendment(s).
- Apr 23Passed Final Reading as amended in SD 1 with Representative(s) Hussey voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Alcos, Cochran, Garcia, Gedeon, Iwamoto, Kong, Matsumoto, Muraoka, Pierick, Shimizu voting no (10) and Representative(s) Evslin excused (1).Major
- Apr 23Transmitted to Governor.
- Apr 22Reconsideration of action taken on 04-16-26.
- Apr 17Received notice of disagreement (Hse. Com. No. 780).Minor
- Apr 16House disagrees with Senate amendment (s).Minor
- Apr 14Report Adopted; Passed Third Reading. Ayes, 21; Aye(s) with reservations: none. Noes, 4 (Senator(s) Awa, DeCorte, Fevella, Gabbard). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.Passed Senate
- Vote recorded Reconsider: Report Adopted; Passed Third Reading. Result: pass.Upper
- Apr 14Returned from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 645) in amended form (SD 1).
- Apr 10Reported from JDC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3753) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading.
- Apr 10One Day Notice 04-14-26.
- Apr 7The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in JDC were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Rhoads, Chang, San Buenaventura; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 1 No(es): Senator(s) Gabbard; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Awa.Minor
- Vote recorded The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. Result: pass.Upper
- Apr 1The committee(s) on JDC will hold a public decision making on 04-07-26 10:15AM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference.
- Mar 25Reported from HHS (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3168) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to JDC.
- Mar 25Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to JDC.Minor
- Mar 18The committee(s) on HHS recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in HHS were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) San Buenaventura, McKelvey, Kanuha, Keohokalole; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 1 No(es): Senator(s) Fevella; and 0 Excused: none.Minor
- Vote recorded The committee(s) on HHS recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 13The committee(s) on HHS has scheduled a public hearing on 03-18-26 1:00PM; CR 225 & Videoconference.
- Mar 12Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 327).Minor
- Mar 12Passed First Reading.Minor
- Mar 12Referred to HHS, JDC.Minor
- Mar 10Passed Third Reading as amended in HD 2 with Representative(s) Iwamoto voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Alcos, Garcia, Gedeon, Kong, Matsumoto, Muraoka, Pierick, Shimizu voting no (8) and none excused (0). Transmitted to Senate.Passed House
- Vote recorded Reconsider: Passed Third Reading as amended in HD 2. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 6Reported from JHA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1152-26) as amended in HD 2, recommending passage on Third Reading.
- Mar 6Forty-eight (48) hours notice Tuesday, 03-10-26.
- Feb 24The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 7 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Poepoe, Belatti, Cochran, Kahaloa, Sayama, Takayama; Ayes with reservations: none; 1 Noes: Representative(s) Shimizu; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Hashem, Garcia.Minor
- Vote recorded The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 20Bill scheduled to be heard by JHA on Tuesday, 02-24-26 2:00PM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
- Feb 17Reported from HLT (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 308-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to JHA.
- Vote recorded Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on JHA. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 17Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on JHA with Representative(s) Gedeon, Matsumoto voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Alcos, Garcia, Muraoka, Pierick, Shimizu voting no (5) and Representative(s) Cochran, Lee, M., Poepoe excused (3).Minor
- Feb 6The committee on HLT recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 7 Ayes: Representative(s) Takayama, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Amato, Hartsfield, Marten, Olds, Takenouchi; Ayes with reservations: none; 2 Noes: Representative(s) Alcos, Garcia; and Excused: none.Minor
- Vote recorded The committee on HLT recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 3Bill scheduled to be heard by HLT on Friday, 02-06-26 9:00AM in House conference room 329 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
- Jan 28Referred to HLT, JHA, referral sheet 3Minor
- Jan 26Introduced and Pass First Reading.Minor
- Jan 23Pending introduction.Introduced
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