A lawmaker introduced Hawaii Senate Bill 103. The bill relates to emergency powers. On the surface, the bill was innocent and standard, but it goes into detail that might disturb some people. Here is the part of the bill some may question.
SECTION 2. Section 127A-13, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsections (a) and (b) to read as follows:
“(a) In the event of a state of emergency declared by the Governor pursuant to section 127A-14, the Governor may exercise the following additional powers pertaining to emergency management during the emergency period:
(1) Provide for and require the quarantine or segregation of persons who are affected with or believed to have been exposed to any infectious, communicable, or other disease that is, in the Governor’s opinion, dangerous to the public health and safety, or persons who are the source of other contamination, in any case where, in the Governor’s opinion, the existing laws are not adequate to assure the public health and safety; provide for the care and treatment of the persons; supplement the provisions of sections 325-32 to 325-38 concerning compulsory immunization programs; provide for the isolation or closing of property which is a source of contamination or is in a dangerous condition in any case where, in the Governor’s opinion, the existing laws are not adequate to assure the public health and safety, and designate as public nuisances acts, practices, conduct, or conditions that are dangerous to the public health or safety or to property; authorize that public nuisances be summarily abated and, if need be, that the property be destroyed, by any police officer or authorized person, or provide for the cleansing or repair of property, and if the cleansing or repair is to be at the expense of the owner, the procedure therefor shall follow as nearly as may be the provisions of section 322-2, which shall be applicable; and further, authorize without the permission of the owners or occupants, entry on private premises for any such purposes;