Bill > SB705

This bill prohibits the use of "excited delirium" as a legitimate medical diagnosis or cause of death in Hawaii, addressing a controversial term often used in law enforcement and medical contexts. Specifically, the bill prevents local health officers from documenting excited delirium on death certificates or in official reports, defining it as a term describing a person's agitated, aggressive state that is not recognized in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. The legislation also bars law enforcement officers from using the term in incident reports, requiring them to describe an individual's conduct without labeling it as excited delirium. Furthermore, the bill establishes a new rule of evidence that renders any references to excited delirium inadmissible in civil actions, though parties can still describe a person's specific behaviors and conditions. The definition of excited delirium encompasses various related terms like "hyperactive delirium" and "agitated delirium," and emphasizes that the term lacks sufficient scientific evidence to be considered a legitimate medical condition. The act will take effect immediately upon approval, signaling a significant shift in how medical and law enforcement professionals can characterize an individual's mental and physical state during high-stress encounters.

Health and Social Services

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=SB&billnumber=705&year=2026