Bill > HR5

This resolution affirms and supports the legal requirement for hospitals to provide life-saving emergency care to pregnant individuals, including reproductive and abortion services when medically necessary to stabilize their condition, as mandated by the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA). EMTALA, a federal law enacted in 1986, requires hospitals that receive Medicare funding to offer medical screening and stabilizing treatment to anyone with an emergency medical condition, regardless of their ability to pay. The resolution acknowledges that EMTALA has historically been interpreted to include abortion care as a necessary stabilizing treatment for life- or health-threatening conditions like severe bleeding or ectopic pregnancies, and it expresses concern over recent federal policy shifts that have created confusion and led to delays or denials of care in some states, particularly in areas with abortion bans. It also notes that EMTALA does not permit religious exemptions for providing this essential emergency care and emphasizes that failing to provide timely treatment can result in severe harm or death. The resolution commends Hawaii's hospitals for their existing commitment to providing such care and aims to reinforce public confidence and clarify the state's policy direction by formally supporting these established standards of care.

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=HR&billnumber=5&year=2026