Indicates Matter Stricken

Indicates New Matter

 

Committee Amendment Adopted and Amended

March 26, 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 3/26/26--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) "First Responder" includes a law enforcement officer, a firefighter, an emergency medical technician, and a paramedic.

       (2) "Harass" means to wilfully engage in a course of conduct directed at a first responder which serves no legitimate purpose and intentionally causes and would cause a reasonable person in his position to suffer substantial mental and emotional distress in that first responder. 

       (3) "Healthcare Facility" shall mean any hospital, health clinic or any other location providing health care services.

       (4) "Healthcare Worker" means registered nurse, physician, physician's assistant, medical director, or employees, agents, or volunteers of any healthcare provider who are employed, under contract, or otherwise authorized by a healthcare provider to perform duties directly associated with the care and treatment rendered by the healthcare provider. 

    (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 a healthcare worker providing medical care within a healthcare facility or on a healthcare facility campus, to knowingly and wilfully violate the warning and approach or remain at a distance that would not allow safe and unencumbered treatment of the patient as determined by the healthcare facility with the intent to:

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

       (2) offer or attempt to cause physical harm or injury to a healthcare worker with apparent present ability under circumstances reasonably creating fear of imminent peril; or

       (3) harass the healthcare worker.

    (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 sixty days.

 

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

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