HB2480 • 2026

RELATING TO EMERGENCY RESPONSE.

Active

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

Sponsor: MURAOKA, ALCOS, BELATTI, GARCIA, HUSSEY, KILA, MATSUMOTO, PIERICK, REYES ODA, SHIMIZU
Last action: 2026-02-25
Official status: The committee(s) on JHA recommend(s) that the measure be deferred.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

RELATING TO EMERGENCY RESPONSE.

What This Bill Does

RELATING TO EMERGENCY RESPONSE.
Evacuation; Immunity; Assumption of Risk; Emergency Responder Protects emergency responders from liability during periods of evacuation.
Provides that individuals who wilfully fail to comply with predictive evacuation orders assume the risk and waive liability.
Effective 7/1/3000.

Limits and Unknowns

This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Amendments

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

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: HB2480 HD1 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.B.

HB2480 HD1 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.B.
NO.
2480 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 H.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EMERGENCY RESPONSE .

Bill History

2026-02-25 H
The committee(s) on JHA recommend(s) that the measure be deferred.
2026-02-23 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by JHA on Wednesday, 02-25-26 2:00PM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-02-18 H
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on JHA with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and none excused (0).
2026-02-18 H
Reported from PBS (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 394-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to JHA.
2026-02-11 H
The committee on PBS recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Belatti, Hashem, Ichiyama, Morikawa, Poepoe, Woodson, Shimizu; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Iwamoto, Souza; Noes: none; and Excused: none.
2026-02-06 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by PBS on Wednesday, 02-11-26 8:40AM in House conference room 411 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-02-02 H
Referred to PBS, JHA, referral sheet 6
2026-01-28 H
Introduced and Pass First Reading.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO EMERGENCY RESPONSE.
Evacuation; Immunity; Assumption of Risk; Emergency Responder
Protects emergency responders from liability during periods of evacuation. Provides that individuals who wilfully fail to comply with predictive evacuation orders assume the risk and waive liability. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB2480

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

2480

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to emergency response
.

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

����
SECTION
1.
�
The legislature finds that predictive
emergency modeling allows authorities to identify disasters before they occur.
�
First responders should not be forced into
dangerous rescues when lawful evacuation orders are ignored.
�
The purpose of this Act is to establish legal
protections for first responders and encourage public compliance with warnings.

����
SECTION
2.
�
The Hawaii Revised Statutes is
amended by adding a new chapter to be appropriately designated and to read as
follows:

"
Chapter
��

Emergency REsponder Predictive evacuation and known danger immunity act

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-1
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Definitions.
�
When used in this chapter, unless the context
otherwise requires:

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"First
responder" means any firefighter, EMT, police, or authorized emergency
worker.

����
"Predictive
evacuation order" means an evacuation issued based on credible threat
modeling.

����
"Willful non-compliance" means
knowingly remaining in an evacuation zone after an evacuation order has been
issued.

����
"Active
hazard period" means when disaster conditions make rescue unsafe.

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�
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-2
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Immunity;
evacuation.
�
First responders and
agencies are immune from liability for issuing predictive evacuation orders or
not conducting rescues when individuals exhibit willful non-compliance during
an active hazard period.
�
Any person who exhibits
willful non-compliance by ignoring evacuation orders assumes risk and waives any
liability claims.

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-3
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Duty;
Priorities.
�
No responder is required
to enter a danger zone during an active hazard period once a predictive
evacuation order has been issued and hazards are present.
�
Responders shall prioritize stabilization and
recovery after hazards subside.

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-4
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Exceptions.
�
This chapter does
not apply if an individual lacked sufficient notice or ability to evacuate."

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SECTION 3.
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This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Evacuation;
Immunity; Assumption of Risk; Emergency Responder

Description:

Protects
emergency responders from liability during periods of evacuation.
�
Provides that individuals who willfully fail
to comply with the evacuation assume the risk and waive liability.
�

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