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HB538 • 2026

RELATING TO SAFE ENTRYWAYS.

RELATING TO SAFE ENTRYWAYS.

Education
Active

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

Sponsor
OLDS, GARCIA, KITAGAWA, MARTEN, QUINLAN
Last action
2025-12-08
Official status
Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on enforcement procedures such as giving warnings or disposing of personal property.

Safe Entryways Law

This law makes it illegal for individuals to reside in doorways or nearby areas around certain buildings, such as homes and businesses, and gives county police departments the authority to enforce this prohibition.

What This Bill Does

  • Prohibits individuals from residing in a doorway or within twenty feet of one near protected locations like residences, businesses, schools, religious institutions, and community centers.
  • Gives primary enforcement authority to county police departments for enforcing the prohibition.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Homeless individuals who might be living in doorways or nearby areas around protected places such as homes and businesses.
  • County police departments responsible for enforcing this new rule.

Terms To Know

Doorway or surrounding area
This means a doorway itself or an area within twenty feet of it that serves as an entrance or exit to a protected location and is close to a public sidewalk.
Order to vacate
An order given by police telling someone to leave a doorway or nearby area.
Protected location
This includes places like homes, businesses, schools, religious buildings, and community centers.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The law does not apply to lawful owners or renters of property near doorways of protected locations.
  • It is unclear how this will be enforced in practice and what consequences there might be for breaking these rules.
  • This bill has been carried over to the next session, so it's uncertain when it will become a law.

Bill History

  1. 2025-12-08 D

    Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.

  2. 2025-02-07 H

    The committee(s) on JHA recommend(s) that the measure be deferred.

  3. 2025-02-04 H

    Bill scheduled to be heard by JHA on Friday, 02-07-25 2:05PM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.

  4. 2025-01-21 H

    Referred to JHA, referral sheet 2

  5. 2025-01-21 H

    Introduced and Pass First Reading.

  6. 2025-01-17 H

    Pending introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO SAFE ENTRYWAYS.
Safe Entryways; Prohibition Against Residing
Prohibit individuals from residing in a doorway or surrounding area of certain places. Gives county police departments primary authority to enforce the prohibition.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HB538

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

538

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025

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 survey, the number of homeless individuals in Hawaii
living on the streets has nearly doubled during the last decade.
�
Although many residents may not directly see
or feel the change in their everyday lives, many other residents must deal with
daily encounters when leaving or returning to their homes, places of work, or
while running errands.
�
Many homeless individuals
live on public sidewalks, often directly in front of places of residence or
business.
�
In order to ensure the safety
of all involved, it is important that the doorways of residences or businesses not
be blocked by individuals or their personal property.

����
Therefore,
the purpose of this Act is to:

����
(1)
�
Prohibit individuals from residing in a
doorway or surrounding area of a protected location; and

����
(2)
�
Give county police departments primary
authority to enforce the prohibition.

����
SECTION
2.
�
Chapter 708, Hawaii Revised Statutes,
is amended by adding a new part to be appropriately designated and to read as
follows:

"
Part .

����
�708-A
�

Definitions.
�
As used in this part:

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"Doorway
or surrounding area
"
means:

����
(1)
�
A
doorway; or

����
(2)
�
An
area within twenty feet of a doorway,

that
serves as an entrance or exit of a protected location and that is immediately
adjacent to or within ten feet of a public sidewalk.

����
"Order
to vacate" means an order issued by a law enforcement agency to vacate a doorway
or surrounding area of a protected location.

����
"Protected
location" includes a residence, business, educational institution, religious
institution, or community center.

����
�708-B
�

Residence; prohibited.
�
Unless otherwise permitted by law, including
section 708-C, no individual shall reside in a doorway or surrounding area of a
protected location.

����
�708-C
�

Applicability.
�
This part shall not be construed to
apply to:

����
(1)
�
A lawful owner or renter of real property
within twenty feet
of a doorway or surrounding area of a protected location
;
or

����
(2)
�
Any other individual who lawfully occupies real
property
within twenty feet of a
doorway or surrounding area of a protected location
.

����
�708-D
�

Enforcement.
�
(a)
�

The county police departments shall have primary authority to enforce
this part.

����
(b)
�
In enforcing this part, the county police
departments shall:

����
(1)
�
Not be required to provide any advance notice
prior to issuing an order to vacate;

����
(2)
�
Issue oral orders to vacate;

����
(3)
�
Allow individuals up to thirty minutes to
remove any personal property; and

����
(4)
�
Immediately remove and dispose of any personal
property if the owner of the property is not present or available at the time
an order to vacate is issued; provided that any property removed shall not be
held for future retrieval by its owner."

����
SECTION 3.
�
In codifying the new sections added by
section 2 of this Act, the revisor of statutes shall substitute appropriate
section numbers for the letters used in designating the new sections in this Act.

����
SECTION 4.
�
This Act does not affect rights and duties
that matured, penalties that were incurred, and proceedings that were begun
before its effective date.

����
SECTION 5.
�
This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Safe
Entryways; Prohibition Against Residing

Description:

Prohibit
individuals from residing in a doorway or surrounding area of certain
places.
�
Gives county police departments
primary authority to enforce the prohibition.

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