Indicates Matter Stricken

Indicates New Matter

 

As Passed By The Senate

May 14, 2026

 

H. 4763

 

Introduced by Reps. Oremus, Brittain, W. Newton, Bailey, Bradley, Brewer, Caskey, Crawford, Duncan, Erickson, Forrest, Gagnon, Gatch, Gilliam, Guest, Haddon, Hardee, Hartnett, Hartz, Hewitt, Hiott, Hixon, Holman, J. E. Johnson, Lawson, Ligon, Long, Lowe, Martin, McCravy, C. Mitchell, B. Newton, Pedalino, Pope, Robbins, Sanders, Schuessler, Sessions, G. M. Smith, M. M. Smith, Taylor, Teeple, Vaughan, Whitmire, Willis, Wooten, Yow, Terribile, White, Lastinger, Wickensimer, Atkinson, Chapman, Gibson, Cromer and Gilreath

 

S. Printed 5/14/26--S.

Read the first time March 10, 2026

 

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A bill

 

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS SO AS TO ENACT THE "HELPING ALLEVIATE LAWFUL OBSTRUCTION (HALO) ACT"; AND BY ADDING SECTION 16-3-1092 SO AS TO DEFINE THE TERMS "EMERGENCY MEDICAL CARE PROVIDER", "FIRST RESPONDER", AND "HARASS", TO PROVIDE THAT IT IS UNLAWFUL FOR A PERSON TO APPROACH, IMPEDE, CAUSE HARM TO, OR HARASS A FIRST RESPONDER or emergency medical care provider AFTER RECEIVING A VERBAL WARNING, AND TO PROVIDE A PENALTY.

    Amend Title To Conform

 

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

 

SECTION 1.  This act may be cited as the "Helping Alleviate Lawful Obstruction (HALO) Act".

 

SECTION 2.  Article 11, Chapter 3, Title 16 of the S.C. Code is amended by adding:

 

    Section 16-3-1092. (A) For the purpose of this section:

       (1) "Emergency medical care provider" means a registered nurse, physician, physician assistant, medical director, and hospital volunteers that are providing medical care or assisting in the providing of medical care within the confines of a hospital's emergency department.

       (2) "First Responder" includes a law enforcement officer, a firefighter, an emergency medical technician, certified EMS worker, and a paramedic.

    (B) It is unlawful for a person, after receiving a verbal warning not to approach from a person he knows or reasonably should know is a first responder who is engaged in the lawful performance of a legal duty, to knowingly and wilfully violate the warning to stand a reasonable distance from the first responder with the intent to:

       (1) impede or interfere with the first responder's ability to perform his duty including but not limited to, obstructing a first responders' movement, distracting a first responder from administering medical care to another, or effectuating a lawful arrest; or

       (2) offer or attempt to cause physical harm or injury to a first responder with apparent present ability under circumstances reasonably creating fear of imminent harm or injury.

    In performance of a legal duty, the first responder may direct a person to stand a reasonable distance away, not to exceed twenty-five feet.

    (C) It is unlawful for a person, after receiving a verbal warning not to approach from a person he knows or reasonably should know is an emergency medical care provider providing emergency medical care specific to the emergency at hand within a hospital emergency department, to knowingly and wilfully violate the warning and approach or remain at a reasonable distance that would not allow safe and unencumbered treatment of the patient as determined by the hospital emergency department with the intent to:

       (1) impede or interfere with the emergency medical care provider's ability to perform his duty including, but not limited to, obstructing a emergency medical care provider's movement or distracting a emergency medical care provider from administering medical care to another; or

       (2) offer or attempt to cause physical harm or injury to an emergency medical care provider with apparent present ability under circumstances reasonably creating fear of imminent peril.

    (D) A person who violates the provisions of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be fined not more than five hundred dollars and imprisoned not more than thirty days.

 

SECTION 3.  This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

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