Bill > SCR7

This concurrent resolution affirms and supports the requirement that hospitals provide life-saving emergency care to pregnant individuals, including reproductive and abortion services, when such care is medically necessary to stabilize a patient under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA). EMTALA, a federal law enacted in 1986, mandates that hospitals receiving Medicare funding must 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 as 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. It emphasizes that EMTALA does not permit religious exemptions for providing this essential emergency care and highlights the potential for severe harm or death if timely treatment is withheld. 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 in ensuring consistent emergency medical care for pregnant people.

Health and Social Services

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=SCR&billnumber=7&year=2026