In another positive sign that its health care facilities are safe, The Queen’s Health Systems (QHS) announced today that it will begin easing visitor restrictions at its four hospitals effective Wednesday, June 3. The Queen’s Medical Center, The Queen’s Medical Center – West Oʻahu, Queen’s North Hawaii Community Hospital and Molokai General Hospital will be allowing one visitor per patient per day with precautions in place to maintain a safe environment. This move follows the safe and successful resumption of non-emergency surgeries, full clinic visits and other outpatient services at QHS facilities across the state last month. “The work of our caregivers to deliver the safest and highest quality care possible has been nothing short of outstanding,” said Jill Hoggard Green, QHS President and Chief Executive Officer. “Safety is our #1 priority. Our hospitals have implemented safety protocols in compliance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention standards and are prepared to welcome visitors back. We understand the important role family and friends play in the healing process for patients.” The following visitor guidelines will be in place: Visiting hours will be from 10:00 am – 6:00 pm. Visitors must undergo a temperature check and health screening. Those with symptoms of respiratory illness, such as fever, shortness of breath or cough, will not be allowed. Visitors must wear a mask and follow physical distancing requirements. Each visitor is permitted one entry per day and must remain with the patient. Visitors must be 18 years of age or older. For everyone’s safety, visitors are not permitted for patients who are confirmed or under investigation for COVID-19. Source: https://www.queens.org/about-us/news-story?&news=368

Hawaii Attorney General Clare E. Connors today joined a coalition of 24 Attorneys General and the Corporation Counsel of the City of New York in urging Congress to block the Trump administration’s attempts to cut vital food assistance for millions of Americans. In a letter to Congress, the coalition expressed support for provisions in the House-passed HEROES Act that would prohibit the use of appropriation funds for three U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) administrative rules. The rules would cut food assistance under the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) by making it harder to qualify for SNAP food assistance benefits, reducing State flexibility to continue benefits beyond the three-month limit, and reducing benefit amounts for certain households. The coalition argues that, especially during this unprecedented time of economic turmoil due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Congress should work to protect and expand our nation’s largest anti-hunger program. “We should be collectively working towards making sure everyone has access to nutritious food,” said Attorney General Connors. “It is imperative, even more so during a pandemic, that we oppose rules cutting food-assistance to millions of Americans.” SNAP, previously known as “food stamps,” is our country’s most important anti-hunger program and a critical part of federal and state efforts to help lift people out of poverty. The program provides people with limited incomes the opportunity to buy nutritious food that they otherwise could not afford. The current pandemic underscores the need to preserve SNAP food assistance. In March alone, 40 percent of American households with incomes below $40,000 lost jobs, and from March 15 to May 15 of this year, 40.8 million Americans filed for unemployment. Unsurprisingly, the number of Americans applying for SNAP benefits has also spiked. As more Americans struggle to put food on the table with each passing day, cuts to food assistance programs that millions need to survive would only compound the suffering of this public health emergency. In the letter sent to leaders of the House and Senate, the multistate coalition urges Congress to block the Trump administration’s three SNAP rules because they would: • Cut SNAP benefits for 700,000 Americans by restricting states from extending benefit time limits: There is a three-month time limit on SNAP benefits for unemployed individuals aged 18 to 49 who are not disabled or raising children—"able-bodied adults without dependents” (ABAWDs). However, states can acquire a waiver of this time limit for areas where the unemployment rate is above 10 percent, or if it presents data demonstrating that the area lacks sufficient jobs for ABAWDs. The ABAWD waiver rule would push nearly 700,000 Americans off SNAP by forcing states to rely on broad unemployment rates— instead of localized job availability for low-income individuals—in order to extend SNAP benefits to needy individuals for more than three months. This rule is currently partially enjoined by a federal court after many states in this coalition brought suit, and Congress waived SNAP time limits during the public health emergency in the Families First Act. That common sense measure serves as a template for future congressional action pertaining to SNAP. • Remove 3.1 million Americans from SNAP by making it harder to qualify for benefits: A long-standing policy known as “broad-based categorical eligibility” (BBCE) allows states to make low-income families automatically eligible for SNAP benefits if they have already qualified to receive certain other types of public assistance. Through BBCE, states can extend SNAP benefits to lowincome families that slightly exceed the program’s gross income and asset limits if they also have significant critical expenses, like childcare, housing, or education expenses. The Revision of Categorical Eligibility rule would eliminate SNAP benefits for 3.1 million Americans by restricting states’ ability to use BBCE. Currently families are allowed to preserve basic emergency savings while maintaining their eligibility for food assistance under BBCE, but this rule would effectively require Americans to go completely broke before receiving SNAP benefits. • Reduce monthly benefits for SNAP households: SNAP benefits are based on states’ calculation of net income; the lower the net income, the higher the SNAP benefits. The Standardization of State Heating and Cooling Standard Utility Allowances rule would change how states can account for the costs of utilities, including home heating and cooling, as they calculate net income for SNAP household benefits. The change will result in 19 percent of SNAP households receiving lower SNAP monthly benefits and will disproportionately affect Americans who are uniquely vulnerable at this time—seniors and people with disabilities. A copy of the letter is available here: [LINK] Source: httpL//ag.hawaii.gov

One New Case of COVID-19 Reported An O‘ahu adult is recorded as the 653rd case of COVID-19 in Hawai‘i, though the DOH says this case is still under investigation because the person had a household contact back in March. The person has no symptoms now. More about COVID-19 here at Hawaiicovid19.com Source: Office of the Governor http://governor.hawaii.gov

Mayor Michael Victorino announced updated rules for private and public golf courses starting today, June 1. The updated rules follow recently released recommendations from the PGA Aloha Section. Updated Golf Play Rules: Tee times must be limited to 9-minute intervals. Two riders are allowed per cart. If the riders are from different households, both must wear facial coverings while in the cart. The golf cart driver must remain in control of the cart throughout the round or until sanitized for the next operator. Practice/Driving ranges may open, with hitting stations separated at least 6 feet apart. Retail operations may resume in Pro Shops, and must follow all County, State and CDC guidelines. Facilities must offer both shared and single cart options to players or staff who do not feel comfortable sharing a cart. Other Rule Changes Effective Today, June 1: Doubles tennis and pickleball play allowed in accordance to U.S. Tennis and Pickleball Association guidelines. Players are still encouraged to maintain physical distancing and avoid touching their face after handling a ball, racquet or other equipment. Blow dryers are allowed for use as needed at barbershops and hair salons. Businesses are reminded to regularly disinfect surfaces and tell customers who are sick to stay home. All businesses are to continue following County, State and CDC guidelines for the health and safety of staff and customers. “These changes are being made as we receive updated guidance from health and industry experts, as well as continued minimal new cases of COVID-19 in our community,” Mayor Victorino said. “We do expect more cases to surface in the days and weeks ahead. But I’m confident that the public will remain vigilant and diligently continue to follow physical distancing and sanitation requirements to keep our community healthy and safe.” For more information on COVID-19 in Maui County, visit MauiCounty.gov.

Yesterday, 1,538 people arrived in Hawaii. During this same time last year, nearly 30,000 passengers arrived in Hawaii daily, including residents and visitors. The state’s mandatory 14-day self-quarantine started on March 26th for all passengers arriving in Hawaii from out of state. The quarantine order was expanded on April 1st to include interisland travelers. This table shows the number of people who arrived by air from out of state yesterday and does not include interisland travel. This data was collected from the Hawaii Department of Transportation’s (DOT) new Mandatory Travel Declaration Form. The DOT’s new Mandatory Travel Declaration Form does not include a question about the type of accommodation. For Hawaii Tourism Authority and state updates regarding COVID-19 visit: https://www.hawaiitourismauthority.org/news/alerts/covid-19-novel-coronavirus/ Source: The Hawai'i Tourism Authority

The City Administration announces this morning that it will no longer be pursuing with the Institute for Human Services an acquisition of 65 North Beretania Street for the Homeless Triage and Comfort Station. "In partnering with homeless service providers, we believe in the goals of the Homeless Triage and Comfort Station to get mentally ill persons off the street, but we believe it is a prudent decision to take a step back from this site and collaborate with community leaders on locations that would be better suited,” said Mayor Kirk Caldwell. “The City invited public comment beginning May 13, and we have heard from community members that this isn't the right location, so we will partner to find other options for a much-needed stabilization program." The Institute for Human Services held a Town Hall last week with over 170 attendees, addressing misinformation and explaining the purpose of the project to be a location where those suffering with severe mental illness can be brought in by case managers, medically treated, stabilized, and routed to appropriate care facilities. The project had planned to build upon the City’s Outreach Navigation program, where medical staff provide assertive outreach and medical treatment directly to those on the streets in Chinatown. Department of Community Services Director Pamela Witty-Oakland added, "For many years, the City has been working together with the Chinatown community to address chronic homelessness. This was not a completed deal, as community engagement is part of our process in all we do, and we look forward to this being an ongoing dialogue with the community regarding solutions within Chinatown that address this unique and challenging population."

The Hawai‘i State Senate Special Committee on COVID-19 will hold a meeting beginning at 12:45 p.m. today, live on ‘Ōlelo channel 49 on O‘ahu and http://olelo.org/49. The State Capitol remains closed to the public. Today’s agenda: 12:45 p.m. Department of the Attorney General Ms. Clare Connors, Attorney General Hawaii Emergency Management Agency Ms. Alexandra Slous, State Disaster Recovery Coordinator 2:00 p.m. Department of Health Dr. Bruce Anderson, Director University of Hawaii – School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene Dr. Mary G. Boland, Dean Chaminade University Dr. Lynn Babington, President Hawaii Pacific University Mr. John Y. Gotanda, President Aloha Trace Mr. Brandon Kurisu, Coalition Representative Every1ne Hawaii Mr. Robert Kurisu, Co-Founder SafePaths Mr. Michael Kamida, Technical Lead and Liaison Please note that there may be committee members or invited speakers participating remotely via video or teleconference.

“We join in mourning the tragic death of George Floyd and send our aloha to his family and friends. We understand the sadness, disappointment, anger and fear that so many across our nation live with daily. And we stand with those peacefully protesting long-standing injustices. Diversity is highly valued in Hawaiʻi, and we believe our residents can show the world how we live together respectfully.” Gov. David Y. Ige Mayor Harry Kim County of Hawaiʻi Mayor Kirk Caldwell, City and County of Honolulu Mayor Michael P. Victorino, County of Maui Mayor Derek S.K. Kawakami, County of Kauaʻi Source: Office of the Governor

Link to news conference here Link to photos here Gov. David Ige today announced that the state will be lifting the 14-day quarantine requirement for inter-island travelers, effective June 16. The state Department of Transportation will require thermal screening at the airport for everyone traveling inter-island. HDOT will also require travelers to fill out a new form that will now also ask for health-related information to assist the state in tracking and responding to new COVID-19 cases. Travelers may be prohibited from boarding a flight if they have an elevated temperature above 100.4 degrees, they refuse to complete the mandatory form, or they are on the 14-day quarantine list prohibiting them from flying. “I want to ensure the public that the health and safety of our residents are still our primary concerns. We would not have taken this step if key indicators were not achieved,” said Gov. Ige. “The number of new COVID-19 cases is very low, among the lowest in the nation. We also have ample healthcare capacity to handle any new outbreak or surge, and our testing and contact tracing capacity continue to increase.” The number of new COVID-19 cases is expected to rise once travel is re-opened. However, the State Department of Health has begun the process of training 500 new contact tracers, exceeding the recommended standards set by the Centers for Disease Control, and is exploring other screening and testing procedures. “This is an important step for everyone living in Hawaiʻi. It will help reunite families and friends who have been separated due to COVID-19. And it’s an important step for the reopening of our kamaʻaina economy,” said Gov. Ige. The governor noted that the next step in re-opening air travel will be restoring out-of-state travel to the islands in a safe manner. He has been working on plans to do this said he would announce them soon. “We must ensure that we do not experience a surge in cases that overwhelms our healthcare capacity. While we are working quickly to re-open travel, this must be a careful and thoughtful process. We have seen the new outbreaks in other communities that have re-opened too quickly. And many of our largest visitor markets, such as California, still have large numbers of cases that are a cause for concern,” said Gov. Ige.

Ocean Safety officials have closed Davidsons Beach in Kekaha to swimming until further notice due to an apparent shark bite that occurred approximately 8:30 a.m. on Monday. A male resident had been surfing in waters off Kekaha at a spot commonly known as “Davidsons,” when he was bit by what appeared to be a tiger shark. The man sustained injuries to his right hand and was transported by private vehicle to Kaua‘i Veterans Memorial Hospital. Ocean Safety Bureau personnel have posted “Shark Sighted” and “No Swimming” signs at Davidsons Beach and are roving the shoreline to warn surfers and beachgoers to stay out of the water until further notice. Per standard protocol, the state Department of Land and Natural Resources was notified of the incident. OSB personnel will reassess the water Tuesday morning to determine if it is safe for swimming. For updates on beach conditions, speak to a county lifeguard or call the Ocean Safety Bureau at 241-4984.

Mayor Michael Victorino has issued a directive for County of Maui agencies to quickly review permits for repairs and renovations for businesses affected by COVID-19 impacts. “Shuttered businesses have helped flatten the curve of the coronavirus in our community, and now they have the opportunity to do certain repairs and renovations with an expedited permit review process,” Mayor Victorino said. “The County of Maui will help businesses do what they need to do to transition to the new normal, a stronger, healthier island community and more resilient economy.” Mayor Victorino’s directive for expedited review of certain repairs and renovations will remain in effect until further notice. Businesses affected by Mayor Victorino’s directive include those that have been fully or partially closed because of COVID-19 impacts. These businesses may conduct repairs, renovations and maintenance. With expedited review: Initial review of building permits (that do not require electrical or plumbing permits) will be completed in 15 calendar days or the application will be considered approved. Initial Special Management Area application review will be completed in 15 calendar days or the application will be considered approved or an exemption or minor permit will be issued. Initial review of electrical and plumbing permits will be completed in 15 calendar days, but there is no automatic approval. Applicants can contact Community Liaison Don Couch in the Office of the Mayor at 270-7855 to indicate that they are submitting an application for permits that are eligible for expedited review. The directive does NOT include: Expansion of or additions to existing structures New structures Any work that involves ground-alterations or excavation Any work on non-conforming structures Any work outside the scope of the permit Any other applicable permitting requirements Waiver or release of any other applicable federal, state or county requirements Suspension of any pending or future enforcement action source: County of Maui

The ‘Beyond Recovery: Reopening Hawai’i’ strategy outlines a phased approach to ensure safety. In color-coded detail, Governor Ige unveiled a phased, long-term strategy for jumpstarting Hawai‘i’s economy while urging everyone to continue to protect each other. The“Beyond Recovery: Reopening Hawai‘i”plan continues the reopening of the “kamaʻāina economy” in June, starting with medium-risk, followed by high-risk businesses. The list includes hair salons, restaurants for dining-in, gyms, places of worship, theaters and museums. Large venues, bars and clubs will be considered for a later phase, as the highest level of risk. All businesses are asked to follow Centers for Disease Control, industry, and Department of Health guidelines to ensure safety for customers and employees. The reopening strategy, outlined in the governor’s 8th Supplementary Emergency Proclamation, leaves the specific timing of reopening certain businesses and operations to the county mayors, with approval from the governor. It also extends the 14-day quarantine for arriving passengers, including interisland travelers, and the moratorium on residential evictions through June 30. The reopening of highest-risk businesses and operations will eventually follow, as long as the state’s disease activity remains manageable. The governor thanked the people of Hawai‘ifor the progress the state has been able to make. “The results speak for themselves,” he said. “Because of our safe practices like wearing face coverings and physical distancing, we have the lowest fatality rate in the nation and one of the lowest new case counts.‘Act with Care means exactly that. It is up to all of us — the businesses and the general public — to make sure we continue to keep each other safe.” Risk factors include the size of the space, the number and duration of contacts and limiting interaction through physical distancing and other precautions. To see the entire “Reopening Hawai‘i” strategy, go to https://governor.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Gov_Reopening-Presentation-Slide-Deck_18-May-2020.pdf. Source: Office of the Governor: June Capitol Connection