STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3733

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 1870

H.D. 2

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Ways and Means and Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 1870, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PROTECTED COMMUNITY LOCATIONS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to ensure access to essential services by maintaining protected community locations in the State.

More specifically, this measure:

(1) Establishes statewide standards for state and county agencies, officers, employees, and contractors, to limit participation in civil immigration enforcement in or near protected community locations;

(2) By January 1, 2027, requires all state and county agencies that operate protected community locations to adopt and post written policies, provide annual staff training, and maintain data privacy protections; and

(3) Appropriates moneys for the measure's implementation by the Attorney General.

Your Committees received written comments in support of this measure from the Board of Education; Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women; the District 2 member of the Hawaii County Council; Aloha Independent Living Hawaii; American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii; American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Hawaii Section; The Center for Law and Social Policy; Hawaii Alliance of Nonprofit Organizations; Hawaii Children's Action Network Speaks!; Hawaii Coalition for Immigrant Rights; Hawaii Filipino Lawyers Association; Healthcare Association of Hawaii; Imua Alliance; Kona Indivisible; League of Women Voters of Hawaii; Roots Reborn Maui; UNITE HERE Local 5; University of Hawaii Professional Assembly; and numerous individuals.

Your Committees received written comments on this measure from the Department of Education and University of Hawaii.

Your Committees find that access to essential community locations, including schools, healthcare facilities, libraries, shelters, and places of worship, should be safe and open to all individuals. Your Committees also find that, following the rescission of federal guidance in January 2025 that previously safeguarded such "sensitive" or "protected" areas from immigration enforcement actions, concerns arose regarding public access to critical services. Your Committees further find that this measure establishes uniform state standards to guide state and county entities in limiting participation in civil immigration enforcement activities in or near protected community locations, in accordance with state police powers, civil rights laws, and constitutional protections related to education, public health, and religious freedom.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Ways and Means and Judiciary that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1870, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, and recommend that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Ways and Means and Judiciary,

________________________________ KARL RHOADS, Chair

________________________________ DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair