HB1957 • 2026

RELATING TO SAFE ENTRYWAYS.

Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor: OLDS, GARCIA, GEDEON, ILAGAN, KILA, KUSCH, MARTEN, MATAYOSHI, MATSUMOTO, PIERICK, REYES ODA, SOUZA, TAKAYAMA, TAKENOUCHI, TAM
Last action: 2026-04-07
Official status: The committee on JDC deferred the measure.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The exact date this law will take effect is specified as July 1, 3000 in the official bill text.

Safe Entryways Law

This law establishes rules for cities with more than 300,000 people to prevent personal property from blocking entrances and exits.

What This Bill Does

Creates a new rule that says no one can leave their things on public land in front of private doorways or entranceways if it blocks access.
Requires law enforcement officers to give verbal warnings before issuing citations for violations.
Allows officers to remove unclaimed property after giving multiple warnings and citations.
Gives local police the power to enforce these rules, including making arrests when necessary.

Who It Names or Affects

People who live in cities with populations over 300,000.
Law enforcement officers in those cities.

Terms To Know

Ingress: The act of entering or coming into a place.
Egress: The act of leaving or going out from a place.

Limits and Unknowns

This law only applies to cities with populations over 300,000.
It does not change existing laws about blocking public property.
The exact date this law will take effect is July 1, 3000.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: This amendment adds a new law that makes it illegal to block entrances in cities with more than 300,000 people.

Adds a new section to Hawaii Revised Statutes Chapter 711 making it an offense to intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly obstruct private doorways and entranceways within ten feet.
Establishes enforcement procedures including verbal warnings, citations, and clearance protocols for violations.

The amendment text is truncated at the end, so some details about 'reasonable opportunity to comply' are not fully explained.

SD1

Hawaii published version SD1

Plain English: The amendment adds a new law that makes it illegal to block entrances within ten feet in counties with over 300,000 people.

Adds a new section to Hawaii Revised Statutes Chapter 711 making it an offense to obstruct private doorways or entranceways within ten feet for counties with populations of at least 300,000.
Establishes enforcement procedures including verbal warnings and citations if the obstruction continues after one hour.
Specifies that personal property left by violators can be removed under certain conditions.

The amendment text does not specify penalties for violations beyond issuing a citation, leaving details to existing laws or future regulations.

Bill History

2026-04-07 S
The committee on JDC deferred the measure.
2026-04-01 S
The committee(s) on JDC will hold a public decision making on 04-07-26 10:15AM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference.
2026-03-24 S
Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to JDC.
2026-03-24 S
Reported from PSM (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3165) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to JDC.
2026-03-20 S
The committee(s) on PSM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in PSM were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Fukunaga, Lee, C., Hashimoto, DeCorte; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Inouye.
2026-03-16 S
The committee(s) on PSM has scheduled a public hearing on 03-20-26 3:15PM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference.
2026-03-12 S
Referred to PSM, JDC.
2026-03-12 S
Passed First Reading.
2026-03-12 S
Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 324).
2026-03-10 H
Passed Third Reading with Representative(s) Iwamoto voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and none excused (0). Transmitted to Senate.
2026-03-05 H
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1; placed on the calendar for Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Perruso excused (1).
2026-03-05 H
Reported from JHA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 915-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and placement on the calendar for Third Reading.
2026-03-03 H
The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Poepoe, Belatti, Hashem, Kahaloa, Sayama, Takayama, Garcia, Shimizu; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Cochran.
2026-02-27 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by JHA on Tuesday, 03-03-26 2:00PM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-01-28 H
Referred to JHA, referral sheet 3
2026-01-26 H
Introduced and Pass First Reading.
2026-01-23 H
Pending introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO SAFE ENTRYWAYS.
Counties; Law Enforcement Officers; Private Entranceways; Obstruction
Establishes, for a county with a population greater than three hundred thousand, enforcement procedures to prevent people or personal property from blocking or otherwise impeding ingress or egress to private doorways and entranceways. Effective 7/1/3000. (SD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB1957

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

1957

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING
TO SAFE ENTRYWAYS
.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

����
SECTION 1.
�
The legislature finds that, according to the
2024 point
‑
in
‑
time count, the number of
individuals experiencing homelessness on Oahu increased by about twelve per
cent from 2023 to 2024, with unsheltered homelessness on Oahu rising by one
hundred ten per cent over the past twelve years.
�
This increase has resulted in more
unsheltered individuals residing in public spaces, especially in urban areas
such as public sidewalks, often in front of residential, commercial, and school
entrances, thereby obstructing access and creating hazards for kupuna, keiki,
persons with disabilities, and individuals with limited mobility.

����
Maintaining clear and accessible
entrances is essential to protecting public safety, preserving access to
essential services, and ensuring that all members of the community can safely
enter and exit their homes, schools, and places of work.

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The purpose of this Act is to
establish, for cities with a population of three hundred thousand or more,
enforcement procedures to prevent domiciling or storing personal property on
public property in a manner that blocks, obstructs, or otherwise impedes
ingress or egress to private doorways or entranceways.

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SECTION 2.
�
Chapter 46, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as
follows:

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"
�46-
�
Safe
entrances; unlawful domiciling or storage of personal property.
�
(a)
�
In any city with a population of three
hundred thousand or more, no person shall domicile or store personal property
on public property:

����
(1)
�
In a manner
that blocks, obstructs, or otherwise impedes ingress or egress to a private
doorway or entranceway; or

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(2)
�
Within ten feet
of a private doorway or entranceway,

unless
the person intends to immediately access the premises for lawful purposes.

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(b)
�
A
person in violation of this section shall remove oneself and all personal
property at least ten feet away from the private doorway or entranceway to
allow ingress or egress
to the private doorway or entranceway
.
�
When
a person is found in violation, a county law enforcement officer shall:

����
(1)
�
Issue a verbal
warning, which shall include:

���������
(A)
�
Notice
that the person is unlawfully domiciling or storing personal property in
violation of this section;

���������
(B)
�
Instructions
for the person to move oneself and all personal property at least ten feet away
from the private doorway or entranceway to allow ingress or egress to the
private doorway or entranceway; and

���������
(C)
�
Notice
that failure to make reasonable or measurable efforts to comply with this
subsection within one hour will result in a citation;

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(2)
�
Issue an
initial citation if, after one hour from receipt of the verbal warning, the person
has not made reasonable or measurable efforts to comply with this subsection and
continues to violate subsection (a);

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(3)
�
Issue a second
citation if, after one hour from the issuance of the initial citation, the
person has not made reasonable or measurable efforts to comply with this subsection
and continues to violate subsection (a); and

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(4)
�
Initiate the
county's encampment or obstruction clearance protocol, in accordance with
applicable county standard operating procedures, if the person continues to
violate subsection (a) after one hour from the issuance of the second citation.
�
If the clearance protocol is initiated under
this paragraph:

���������
(A)
�
All
personal property shall be removed within one hour; and

���������
(B)
�
Any
remaining unclaimed property may be removed and disposed of in accordance with
county procedures.

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(c)
�
County
law enforcement agencies shall have authority to enforce this section, including
issuing warnings and citations and effecting arrests as authorized by law.

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(d)
�
Complaints
regarding individuals domiciling or storing personal property in violation of this
section shall be directed primarily to county law enforcement agencies;
provided that all law enforcement agencies shall work collaboratively to
coordinate enforcement efforts and ensure effective compliance.

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(e)
�
This
section shall supplement and shall not replace or preempt any existing state or
county laws, ordinances, or rules prohibiting obstruction, domiciling, or
unlawful storage of personal property on public property adjacent to private doorways
or entranceways.
�
Citations issued
pursuant to this section shall be in addition to any other penalties or
enforcement actions authorized under law.

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(f)
�
County
law enforcement officers shall not presume an immediate violation and shall
make reasonable, polite inquiries when responding to complaints or suspected
violations.
�
At each stage of
enforcement, officers shall assess whether the person is making reasonable
efforts to comply, recognizing that some persons may require additional time to
safely remove personal belongings.

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(g)
�
For purposes of this section, "private
doorway or entranceway" includes but is not limited to:

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(1)
�
Doorways
serving residential spaces, businesses, educational institutions, community
centers, or religious centers;

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(2)
�
Doorways of
vacant or unoccupied commercial properties;

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(3)
�
Service or
delivery entrances to residential or commercial structures; and

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(4)
�
Fire escape
doors, emergency exits, and other designated egress points for buildings or
homes.
"

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SECTION 3.
�
This Act does not affect rights and duties
that matured, penalties that were incurred, and proceedings that were begun
before its effective date.

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SECTION 4.
�
If any provision of this Act, or the
application thereof to any person or circumstance, is held invalid, the
invalidity does not affect other provisions or applications of the Act that can
be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to this end
the provisions of this Act are severable.

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SECTION
5.
�
New statutory material is
underscored.

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SECTION 6.
�
This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Counties;
Law Enforcement Officers; Private Entranceways; Obstruction

Description:

Establishes,
for a city with a population greater than three hundred thousand, enforcement
procedures to prevent domiciling or storing personal property on public
property in a manner that blocks, obstructs, or otherwise impedes ingress or
egress to private doorways or entranceways.

The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.