Bill > SB856

This bill establishes legal protections for immigrants in educational and healthcare settings in Hawaii by creating strict guidelines for how schools and health facilities can interact with federal immigration authorities. The bill prohibits school and health facility employees from collecting information about a student's or patient's immigration status, except when required by law or a valid judicial warrant. It mandates that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers must first obtain approval from specific administrators and provide valid identification, a written purpose statement, and a judicial warrant before entering a school or health facility. If approved, ICE officers are only allowed to access areas where students or patients are not present. The bill requires administrators to immediately report any ICE requests to their governing boards while maintaining the confidentiality of potentially identifying information. For schools, the legislation also includes provisions to protect students' educational continuity by prioritizing parental instructions for student care and requires educational entities to inform parents about students' rights to free public education regardless of immigration status. Additionally, the bill defines key terms like "judicial warrant" and explicitly distinguishes between judicial warrants and civil immigration warrants or administrative documents. The bill's purpose is to create a supportive environment for Hawaii's immigrant population, which includes approximately 254,000 immigrants, while ensuring due process and civil rights protections in educational and healthcare settings.

Health and Social Services

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=SB&billnumber=856&year=2025