Senate moves out CIP funds for final for renovations, repairs, construction, land acquisition, and critical computer systems statewide The Hawai‘i State Senate agreed yesterday on the Capital Improvement Project (CIP) budget for Fiscal Years 2020 and 2021, totaling more than $5.1 billion. The bill now moves to the full House for approval on Thursday. Representing the islands of Kaua‘i and Ni‘ihau, Senate President Ronald D. Kouchi (District 8) and member of the Senate approved Senate draft House Bill No. 2725, HD1, SD1, totaling over $233.5 million for the district. Along with some of the projects proposed by the Senate, Senator Kouchi supported additional funding for a multitude of projects, including “$28.5 million for education, our school facilities and our youth of Kaua‘i, $19 million for a much needed Kaua‘i High School gym, and $3 million for a parking lot at Kapa‘a High School. “These projects will deliver much needed infrastructure for our future children of Kaua‘i,” the senator said. Additional projects in the Senate draft include: $247 million to improve roads and other transportation facilities on Kaua‘i. $92 million for improvements on Kuhio Highway, from Hanamaulu to Kapa‘a $23 million for improvements to the Lihue Airport terminal and its facilities $15 million and $4 million for CIP at Nawiliwili and Port Allen harbors, respectively These funding measures include renovations, repairs, and major maintenance to existing facilities, landscape improvements, new construction, land acquisition, and utility modifications. Senator Kouchi will continue to work diligently in collaboration with the Kauai delegation, Representatives James K. Tokioka (Dist. 15-Wailua Homestead, Hanamaulu, Lihue, Puhi, Old Koloa Town, Omao), Daynette Morikawa (Dist. 16-Ni‘ihau, Lehua, Koloa, Waimea), and Nadine K. Nakamura (Dist. 14-Hanalei, Princeville, Kilauea, Anahola, Kapa‘a, Wailua) to support vital projects and issues important to their community. “I am positive that my fellow colleagues from Kaua‘i will help move this bill forward in the House on Thursday,” said Senator Kouchi, “This will help address some of the statewide needs and for our Garden Isle that have become painfully apparent due to the coronavirus pandemic.” The CIP budget also includes funding for many "shovel-ready" construction projects that can begin work quickly, providing much needed jobs to help resuscitate our struggling economy. CIP Highlights Agriculture $2 million for Kauai irrigation systems $900,000 Christian Crossing Bridge, Kalepa, Kaua‘i $600,000 for an interior access road and Kekaha ditch bridge crossing, Kaua‘i Accounting and General Services $17 million for the modernization of the state finance system, statewide $1 million for repair, equipment, modernization and expansion of the Information and Communication Services Division's critical communication systems, statewide Business, Economic Development, and Tourism $50 million to finance additional affordable housing for counties within the state having a population less than 500,000, statewide Defense $2 million for the incremental addition, replacement, and upgrade of the State Civil Defense warning and communication devices, statewide Education $1.5 million for air conditioning at Eleele Elementary School, Kaua‘i $3 million for parking lot, for drainage, grounds and site improvements for Kapa‘a High School, Kauai $19.2 million for girl’s locker room and gym for Kaua‘i High School $150,000 for new playground at King Kaumual’i Elementary School, Kaua‘i $2.05 million repair and maintenance to school’s buildings, basketball courts and renovating existing facilities at Kekaha Elementary School, Kaua‘i $325,000 repair and resurfacing outdoor play court $300,000 architectural barrier removal at the Waimea Canyon Middle School, Kaua‘i $2 million for covered pick-up and drop-off area for Wilcox Elementary School, Kaua‘i Hawaiian Homelands $20 million for lot development, statewide Human Services $5 million for repair and maintenance of Hawaii Public House Authority facilities, statewide Hawaii Health Systems Corporation $650,000 for a 3D mammography machine at Kaua‘i Veterans Memorial Hospital $1.3 million to purchase and install CT scanner at Samuel Mahelona Memorial Hospital, Kaua‘i $1.4 million to renovate the CT scan room at Samuel Mahelona Memorial Hospital $500,000 for plans, design, construction and equipment for environmental impact statement at the Samuel Mahelona Memorial Hospital $1.3 million to purchase and install CT scanner at Kaua‘i Veterans Memorial Hospital $300,000 renovate the IT department at Kaua‘i Veterans Memorial Hospital $8.7 million for improvement and renovations for the Hawaii Health Systems Corporation, Kaua‘i Health $930,000 for the design and construction of necessary improvements at Department of Health facilities, statewide Infrastructure for Kaua‘i $500,000 for plans and design for a 50-acre sports complex in Anahola, to include gymnasium, baseball fields, regulation rodeo arena and stables $1.5 million for construction of a ticket booth, a food booth and comfort stations, with matching funds for the county $12 million for water system improvements of the Kalaheo-Lawai-Omao water system, with matching 20% of the state funds from the county $2 million for upgrading of wind strength capacity of Kilauea Gym, with partial matching funds by the county $3 million for chlorination facilities at the Kilauea water system $1.4 million for improvements and renovations for Paua Valley Tank at the Waimea-Kekaha water system Labor and Industrial Relations $10 million for the modernization of the Unemployment Insurance Information Technology system, statewide Land and Natural Resources $220,000 for septic system improvements at Pua Loke Baseyard, Kaua‘i $150,000 nursery and facility renovations, Kaua’i $800,000 for comfort stations at the Russian Fort Elizabeth State Historical Park, Kaua‘i Transportation $92 million for congestion relief on Kuhio Highway from Hanamaulu to Kapa‘a, Kaua‘i $23 million for improvements to the Lihue Airport facilities and terminal, Kaua‘i 15 million for capital improvement projects at Nawiliwili Harbor, Kaua‘i $4 million for capital improvement projects at Port Allen Harbor, Kaua‘i $2.2 million for maintenance and repairs on guardrails and shoulder improvements on state highways, Kaua‘i $500,000 for Kuhio Highway intersection improvements at Kolo Road / Kalamania Road, Kaua‘i $2 million for widening and drainage improvements on Kuhio Highway, Kaua‘i $2.2 million for slope stabilization at Lumahai Hillside on Kuhio Highway, Kaua‘i $500,000 for reconfiguration of the Akukini Road and Kapule Highway, Kaua‘i $7 million for traffic operational improvements to existing intersections and highways, Kaua‘i $100,000 for improvements Waimea Canyon Drive / Koke‘e Road improvements, Kaua‘i University of Hawaii $23 million for minor repairs at community colleges, statewide

Two New Cases of COVID-19 Reported O‘ahu and Hawai‘i island each have a new positive coronavirus case according to the latest count from DOH. One of the cases is an adult and the other is a minor. The investigation of cases is ongoing and at this time, it’s not known whether either of the cases was travel-associated or community-associated. Hawai‘i COVID-19 Counts as of 12:00 noon, May 20, 2020

The committees on Ways and Means; and Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism, will hold an informational briefing at 1 p.m. on Thursday, May 21, in the State Capitol auditorium. The state is facing significant challenges with revenues and unemployment due to the coronavirus pandemic. The purpose of this briefing is to discuss a framework to address the impacts on the state's revenues, discuss an economic framework to recovery, and hear from specific entities that can reshape a new economy for the state. The following are invited to present on the specified topics: Report on Monthly Revenues: Department of Taxation Ms. Rona Suzuki, Director Overview of The Financial Impacts of COVID-19: Department of Budget and Finance Mr. Craig Hirai, Director Report on Current Unemployment Statistics: Department of Labor and Industrial Relations Mr. Scott Murakami, Director GDP History, Outlook, and Potential Sector Growth: State Economist Dr. Eugene Tian, Chief State Economist Approach to Job Creation: Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism Mr. Mike McCartney, Director Hawaii Technology Development Corporation Mr. Len Higashi, Acting Executive Director Hawaii State Energy Office Mr. Scott Glenn, Chief Energy Officer Business Development & Support Division Mr. Dennis Ling, Administrator Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority Mr. Greg Barbour, Executive Director Pacific International Space Center for Exploration Systems Mr. Rodrigo Romo, Program Director Foreign Trade Zone Division Mr. David Sikkink, Administrator Agriculture as a Means of Job Creation and GDP Growth: College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources Development Dr. Nicholas Comerford, Dean Department of Agriculture Ms. Phyllis Shimabukuro-Geiser, Chairperson Agribusiness Development Corporation Mr. James Nakatani, Executive Director Please note that there may be committee members or invited speakers participating remotely via video or teleconference. The meeting will be available for live viewing on ‘Olelo Channel 49 on O‘ahu and will go out live for pick up by neighbor island public access channels. It will also be streamed live online at olelo.org/49. No public testimony will be accepted. If you require special assistance, please call 586-6800 or email your request to waysandmeans@capitol.hawaii.gov.

Mayor Kirk Caldwell and University of Hawaiʻi President David Lassner announced an agreement in principle today in front of the John A. Burns School of Medicine to dramatically expand COVID-19 testing capacity over the next several months as Honolulu’s economy re-opens. The partnership will establish the JABSOM Tropical Medicine Clinic Laboratory that will provide COVID-19 surge capacity for traditional diagnostic tests, establish a new “antibody” testing program, and develop new methods to test for COVID-19. “We can’t truly find this virus and work to contain it if we aren’t looking for it,” said Mayor Kirk Caldwell. “From the beginning of this pandemic, testing has been one of the City’s three main focuses. The other two are contact tracing and quarantining. We believe much more testing needs to be done as we continue to get more of Oʻahu safely back to work. We thank the University of Hawaiʻi and the John A. Burns School of Medicine, along with Clinical Labs and Diagnostic Labs in partnership with our seven Community Health Centers, for working with us to increase testing capacity and make this transition to a more open way of life that is safe for the entire City and County of Honolulu.” The new lab is being supported with $3.9 million in CARES funds from the City and County of Honolulu, and is being fast-tracked by the University of Hawaiʻi to be up and running in an estimated six weeks. The Rockefeller Foundation is also providing support to the project as part of a longer-term investment to ensure that Honolulu has surge capacity to handle subsequent waves of COVID-19. The Rockefeller Foundation has issued a national testing plan that calls for COVID-19 national testing capacity to raise from the current one million tests a week, to three million this summer, to thirty million by the fall in order for the nation to safely keep the economy open. “We’re really excited about this opportunity to collaborate with the City and County, the Mayor and his team to leverage our facilities and our faculty expertise,” University of Hawaiʻi President David Lassner said. “This lab will also be a crucial component for our ability to open the University of Hawaiʻi for the fall.” The partnership will provide 50,000 diagnostic COVID-19 tests available to Oʻahu residents through the end of the year, administered in partnership with Community Health Centers around the island. In addition, 49,000 COVID-19 antibody tests will be made available as part of a broader population study to identify patterns and levels of COVID-19 exposure locally. The lab has already obtained a Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendment (CLIA) certificate of compliance from the State Department of Health and CLIA registration and will start securing equipment immediately. “The UH John A. Burns School of Medicine is pleased to contribute facilities and scientific expertise to this joint effort with the City and County of Honolulu, and we believe that expanded testing capacity for on-island testing of COVID-19 will be important during the opening of the economy on Oʻahu,” said JABSOM Dean Dr. Jerris Hedges. “Contributing to new understandings related to this coronavirus infection will benefit the citizens and visitors to our island. We are pleased to help the Mayor and others in the City and County of Honolulu build a safer community as citizens return to work.” The new UH lab capacity and test kits helps complement the City’s testing partnership with local private labs also announced today, and takes advantage of the strong research and data background at the University of Hawaiʻi. The City-UH partnership will: ● Enable expanded, long-term COVID-19 test access for underserved, uninsured, and front-line workers who may require multiple tests for safety at their workplaces. ● Boost in-state private testing capacity to handle any future COVID-19 waves and surge periods. ● Strengthen the ability to secure 24 hour test results on island, and support rapid contact tracing and isolation of individuals who test positive for COVID-19. ● Identify patterns and levels of COVID-19 exposure through broad population antibody testing. ● Hire and train a medical laboratory technician and clinical laboratory scientist workforce that can build a pipeline of employment for the medical sector. ● Develop new approaches to test for COVID-19 that can reduce the cost of testing and decrease invasiveness—such as saliva-based testing instead of nasal swabs— allowing for broader testing to safely reopen and keep open the economy. ● Build longer-term capacity to identify, monitor, and diagnose COVID-19 variations and rare infectious diseases positioning Hawaiʻi to be on the leading edge of pandemic preparedness. ● Providing increased local capacity to do large group COVID-19 testing for both underserved populations (public housing projects, etc.), institutions (schools, etc.) and classes of workers (care homes, front-line workers) regularly. To obtain more information on the City’s COVID-19 response, visit www.oneoahu.org

Honolulu joins the Rockefeller Foundation’s Testing Solutions Group to expand pandemic testing across U.S. The City and County of Honolulu has joined the Rockefeller Foundation’s Testing Solutions Group, a demand-driven coalition committed to scaling up access to testing for COVID-19. Other new members include the State of Oregon and Cities of, Louisville, Tulsa, and Washington, DC. They are joining Boston, Detroit, Los Angeles, Greater Miami and the Beaches (a partnership including Miami, Miami Beach, and Miami Dade County), and New Orleans, alongside the Navajo Nation and White Mountain Apache Tribe through the Johns Hopkins Center for American Indian Health to collaborate with other leaders and experts to find solutions to common challenges – and get their citizens back to work more safely. “To face the COVID-19 challenge, our nation and cities such as Honolulu need every sector to pitch in and paddle hard together if we are to succeed in building more resilient communities,” said Mayor Kirk Caldwell. “Honolulu is honored to partner with The Rockefeller Foundation on the National Testing Action Plan, and it says a lot about our grit and ingenuity that we lead the nation on testing rates and flattening the curve. We are looking forward to working with The Rockefeller Foundation and other partners to expand testing capacity to help put Oʻahu safely back to work.” As an operational part of its National Covid-19 Testing Action Plan, The Rockefeller Foundation convened the Testing Solutions Group for the first time on Thursday, May 7. Nearly 50 officials participated in the first of a series of meetings designed to facilitate the exchange of best practices for public health authorities and federal, state, city, and tribal officials working to scale up pandemic testing needs from the frontlines in order to reopen their economies while safeguarding public health. “Testing is core to ending this crisis,” said Dr. Rajiv J. Shah, President of The Rockefeller Foundation. “It's going take leadership at the federal, state, and municipal level to protect our workers and families and reopen our workplaces and communities, which is why I am thrilled to have such an incredible depth of leadership in our Testing Solutions Group.” The Testing Solutions Group includes: · City, tribe, and state officials who are leading ambitious efforts to scale up testing in their communities as a pathway to safe and accelerated economic recovery; · Technical assistance experts to help answer real-time questions from members as they expand their testing efforts; · Financial supporters to add to The Rockefeller Foundation’s initial $5 million commitment. Achieving widespread Covid-19 testing requires combining data with local insights to determine where and how to reach all citizens. During the first meeting, Dr. Jennifer Avegno, Director of the New Orleans Health Department, presented the city’s approach to reaching the most vulnerable communities and the importance of having a local face to their plan. Lesson learned from New Orleans: New Orleans reported its first coronavirus case on March 9, and two more the following day. Dr. Avegno, a native of the city who is also an emergency room physician and a professor, quickly identified community spread because the three patients had no connection to each other and had not traveled. “That’s when we knew things were going to get bad really quickly,” she said. Initially offering drive-by diagnostic testing in partnership with the National Guard, New Orleans officials quickly learned from mapping data that critical neighborhoods were going untested. They found numbers were low in some neighborhoods populated by the most vulnerable, including elderly, low-income, and those with medical conditions that make them more susceptible to Covid-19 like diabetes, asthma, and heart disease. “It was very apparent we were not getting to the places that needed it most.” Dr Avegno said. “We knew we had to go into the communities.” Recognizing that that they still were not reaching some of the targeted communities, the city began running mobile walk-in centers in rotating locations, setting up in trusted community gathering spots such as church parking lots and cultural centers in order to try and remove more barriers to accessing testing. Because of these adjustments, the city now tests about 250 people per walk-through site per day. While her biggest concern is running out of testing supplies, Dr. Avegno said that without community trust, “any message we need to give about the importance of testing and isolation and how to fight this virus, just won’t work.” The Rockefeller Foundation puts its National Covid-19 Testing Action Plan into action: As the largest public health testing program in the U.S. history, the Foundation’s Action Plan provides pragmatic steps to enact robust testing, tracing, and coordination to more safely reopen workplaces. Released on April 21, the Action Plan calls for: · increasing testing from 1 million per week currently, to 3 million per week within the next eight weeks, to ultimately 30 million tests per week in six months; · deploying a workforce of up to 300,000 Americans in a community health corps that would be accessible and allow for cities and states to scale up their public health workforce; · facilitating larger-scale, longer-term pooled procurement that brings together the supply and demand side of the market. The Foundation estimates that it will cost $100 billion, but will save money in the long run for the American economy, which is losing an estimated $350 - 400 billion dollars per month to the pandemic. In order to help operationalize the Action Plan, the Foundation will convene its Testing Solutions Group regularly around a specific topic or geography, along with curating an online platform of resources to answer real-time questions.

For Hawaii Tourism Authority and state updates regarding COVID-19 visit: https://www.hawaiitourismauthority.org/news/alerts/covid-19-novel-coronavirus/

The Hawai‘i State Senate today unanimously approved all gubernatorial nominees passed out of the Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health, chaired by Senator Rosalyn H. Baker (D-South and West Maui). “These boards and commissions are important,” said Senator Baker. “Many are professional and vocational licensing boards that ensure high standards and integrity of the professions and promote consumer protection by ensuring that licensed professions are adhering to the high standards set in statute for the various professions. “Some board members are licensees or members of a regulated industry,” she said, “others represent the public and are geographically representative of Hawai‘i as a whole. These boards are an excellent example of citizen engagement in government.” The nominees are: Clyde Hayashi and Joseph O’Donnell to the Contractors License Board for terms to expire 06-30-2021, Eric Higashihara and Paul Alejado to the Contractors License Board for terms to expire 06-30-2023, Leonard Leong and Leslie Isemoto to the Contractors License Board for terms to expire 06-30-2022, Maurice Torigoe, Neal Arita, and Nicholas Teves, Jr. to the Contractors License Board for terms to expire 06-30-2024, Serafin Colmenares, Jr. as the Administrator of the State Health Planning and Development Agency for a term to expire at noon on 12-05-2022, Wallace Fook Chong III and Wesley Joong Jung Choy to the Board of Dentistry for terms to expire 06-30-2024, Phillip Lucero to the Board of Electricians and Plumbers for a term to expire 06-30-2022, Edward Chu, Jr. to the Board of Private Detectives and Guards for a term to expire 06-30-2024, Don Pedro and Sherry Sutherland-Choy to the Board of Psychology for terms to expire 06-30-2024, James Spira to the Board of Psychology for a term to expire 06-30-2022, Jill Gray to the Board of Psychology for a term to expire 06-30-2023, Denby Rall to the Board of Speech Pathology and Audiology for a term to expire 06-30-2022, Russell Wong and Wayne De Luz to the Motor Vehicle Industry Licensing Board for terms to expire 06-30-2023, Scott Ai to the Pest Control Board for a term to expire 06-30-2024, Leslie Murata to the State Board of Barbering and Cosmetology for a term to expire 06-30-2021, Brian Uemori to the State Board of Public Accountancy for a term to expire 06-30-2024, Michael Nojima to the Disability and Communication Access Board for a term to expire 06-30-2023, Monty Anderson-Nitahara to the Disability and Communication Access Board for a term to expire 06-30-2024, Greg Tjapkes to the Hawai‘i Advisory Commission on Drug Abuse and Controlled Substances for a term to expire 06-30-2021, Ku‘uleialohaonalani Salzer-Vitale to the Hawai‘i Advisory Commission on Drug Abuse and Controlled Substances for a term to expire 06-30-2022, Evelyn Kaneshiro and Roger Daniels to the Health Planning Council, Hawai‘i County Subarea, for terms to expire 06-30-2023, Tamia McKeague and Katherine Finn Davis to the Health Planning Council, Hawai‘i County Subarea, for terms to expire 06-30-2024, Tulpe Day to the Language Access Advisory Council for a term to expire 06-30-2024, Barbara Service, Colette Browne, Kathleen Wyatt, Marilyn Seely, and Roberta Murray to the Policy Advisory Board for Elder Affairs for terms to expire 06-30-2023, Barbara Yamashita to the Policy Advisory Board for Elder Affairs for a term to expire 06-30-2024, Beverly Gotelli to the Policy Advisory Board for Elder Affairs for a term to expire 06-30-2021, Kristen Polenz to the Radiologic Technology Board for a term to expire 06-30-2021, Ryan Malloy to the Radiologic Technology Board for a term to expire 06-30-2023, And Heidi Ilyavi to the State Council on Mental Health for a term to expire 06-30-2022.

Senate President Ronald D. Kouchi and Senate Majority Leader J. Kalani English wish to thank the Hawai‘i Community Foundation (HCF) for their efforts with the Hawai‘i Resilience Fund (HRF), which was created to rapidly deploy resources to nonprofits and health care providers who are working on the ground to address COVID-19 pandemic in Hawai‘i. The Hawai‘i Resilience Fund at HCF was launched on March 18 and has thus far received more than $11.1 million in funds, including $3 million from the Bank of Hawai‘i Foundation, $1 million from the Omidyar ‘Ohana Fund, and dozens of other gifts from businesses, foundations and online donors. In just eight weeks, more than $6.8 million has been granted to 48 nonprofit partners across the state who provide services to a wide range of target populations and geographies across Hawai‘i, including children, kūpuna, essential workers and those suffering from the economic ramifications of the coronavirus. “The quick and pivotal work of Hawaii Community Foundation, the generosity of its donors, and the crtical services provided by nonprofit partners demonstrates what is possible when we work together and focus on serving the needs of Hawai‘i’s residents,” said Senate President Kouchi. “Across the state, the Hawaii Community Foundation has provided hope for many people in Hawai‘i during one of our most difficult times,” said Majority Leader English. “We are incredibly grateful.” HCF’s grant-making approach is prioritized through four phases, which has a specific focus on supporting Hawai‘i’s most vulnerable residents. Phase I and II grants have been distributed to organizations that can assist with rent and utilities, increase coronavirus testing and personal protection equipment, provide food for those who are newly unemployed, and offer childcare support for essential workers, among many other important needs for our society at this time. Phases III and IV focus on recovery and stabilization and rebuilding resilience in Hawai‘i. HCF has been in recent news due to the multiple “Food for Hawai‘i‘s Ohana” food distributions on O‘ahu where more than 8,000 households per week receive food for their families. The events are run by the Hawaii Foodbank and the effort is a result of a public-private partnership with the City and County of Honolulu, the Bank of Hawai‘i Foundation and HCF. Last week, HCF announced a program to provide relief to licensed home-based child care providers across the state, who are eligible for federal support, but have not been able to access it as of yet. The fund seeks to lessen the potential for permanent closure of child care programs, especially in areas where home-based care is the primary option for families. The programs are an important element in the state’s ability to get residents back to work and to stabilize the economy. HCF has a unique role in disaster preparedness and response. The foundation collaborates with disaster relief organizations, community groups, and the private sector, for a coordinated effort and maximum community impact. From the flooding on the North Shore of Kaua‘i to volcano eruptions on Hawai‘i Island, HCF distributes grant funds quickly to community organizations that are meeting the needs of response efforts. For more information about the Hawai‘i Resilience Fund and HCF’s work to support Hawai‘i’s residents during this unique time, visit https://www.hawaiicommunityfoundation.org/coronavirus

USDA Announces Details of Direct Assistance to Farmers through the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program Farmers and Ranchers to Receive Direct Support for Losses Related to COVID-19 (Washington, D.C., May 19, 2020) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today announced details of the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP), which will provide up to $16 billion in direct payments to deliver relief to America’s farmers and ranchers impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. In addition to this direct support to farmers and ranchers, USDA’s Farmers to Families Food Box program is partnering with regional and local distributors, whose workforces have been significantly impacted by the closure of many restaurants, hotels, and other food service entities, to purchase $3 billion in fresh produce, dairy, and meat and deliver boxes to Americans in need. “America’s farming community is facing an unprecedented situation as our nation tackles the coronavirus. President Trump has authorized USDA to ensure our patriotic farmers, ranchers, and producers are supported and we are moving quickly to open applications to get payments out the door and into the pockets of farmers,” said Secretary Perdue. “These payments will help keep farmers afloat while market demand returns as our nation reopens and recovers. America’s farmers are resilient and will get through this challenge just like they always do with faith, hard work, and determination.” Beginning May 26, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), through the Farm Service Agency (FSA), will be accepting applications from agricultural producers who have suffered losses. Background: CFAP provides vital financial assistance to producers of agricultural commodities who have suffered a five-percent-or-greater price decline due to COVID-19 and face additional significant marketing costs as a result of lower demand, surplus production, and disruptions to shipping patterns and the orderly marketing of commodities. Farmers and ranchers will receive direct support, drawn from two possible funding sources. The first source of funding is $9.5 billion in appropriated funding provided in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Stability (CARES) Act to compensate farmers for losses due to price declines that occurred between mid-January 2020, and mid-April 2020 and provides support for specialty crops for product that had been shipped from the farm between the same time period but subsequently spoiled due to loss of marketing channels. The second funding source uses the Commodity Credit Corporation Charter Act to compensate producers for $6.5 billion in losses due to on-going market disruptions. Non-Specialty Crops and Wool Non-specialty crops eligible for CFAP payments include malting barley, canola, corn, upland cotton, millet, oats, soybeans, sorghum, sunflowers, durum wheat, and hard red spring wheat. Wool is also eligible. Producers will be paid based on inventory subject to price risk held as of January 15, 2020. A payment will be made based 50 percent of a producer’s 2019 total production or the 2019 inventory as of January 15, 2020, whichever is smaller, multiplied by the commodity’s applicable payment rates. Livestock Livestock eligible for CFAP include cattle, lambs, yearlings and hogs. The total payment will be calculated using the sum of the producer’s number of livestock sold between January 15 and April 15, 2020, multiplied by the payment rates per head, and the highest inventory number of livestock between April 16 and May 14, 2020, multiplied by the payment rate per head. Dairy For dairy, the total payment will be calculated based on a producer’s certification of milk production for the first quarter of calendar year 2020 multiplied by a national price decline during the same quarter. The second part of the payment is based a national adjustment to each producer’s production in the first quarter. Specialty Crops For eligible specialty crops, the total payment will be based on the volume of production sold between January 15 and April 15, 2020; the volume of production shipped, but unpaid; and the number of acres for which harvested production did not leave the farm or mature product destroyed or not harvested during that same time period, and which have not and will not be sold. Specialty crops include, but are not limited to, almonds, beans, broccoli, sweet corn, lemons, iceberg lettuce, spinach, squash, strawberries and tomatoes. A full list of eligible crops can be found on farmers.gov/cfap. Additional crops may be deemed eligible at a later date. Eligibility There is a payment limitation of $250,000 per person or entity for all commodities combined. Applicants who are corporations, limited liability companies or limited partnerships may qualify for additional payment limits where members actively provide personal labor or personal management for the farming operation. Producers will also have to certify they meet the Adjusted Gross Income limitation of $900,000 unless at least 75 percent or more of their income is derived from farming, ranching or forestry-related activities. Producers must also be in compliance with Highly Erodible Land and Wetland Conservation provisions. Applying for Assistance Producers can apply for assistance beginning on May 26, 2020. Additional information and application forms can be found at farmers.gov/cfap. Producers of all eligible commodities will apply through their local FSA office. Documentation to support the producer’s application and certification may be requested. FSA has streamlined the signup process to not require an acreage report at the time of application and a USDA farm number may not be immediately needed. Applications will be accepted through August 28, 2020. Payment Structure To ensure the availability of funding throughout the application period, producers will receive 80 percent of their maximum total payment upon approval of the application. The remaining portion of the payment, not to exceed the payment limit, will be paid at a later date as funds remain available. USDA Service Centers are open for business by phone appointment only, and field work will continue with appropriate social distancing. While program delivery staff will continue to come into the office, they will be working with producers by phone and using online tools whenever possible. All Service Center visitors wishing to conduct business with the FSA, Natural Resources Conservation Service, or any other Service Center agency are required to call their Service Center to schedule a phone appointment. More information can be found at farmers.gov/coronavirus. Source and more information may be found here: https://www.farmers.gov/coronavirus

The Special Committee will convene tomorrow Tuesday to assess and advise the Senate regarding the State of Hawaii's COVID-19 plans and procedures to include, but not limited to: Confirm the development of the state departmental plans and procedures; Review and assess current state departmental plans and procedures; Review and assess whether state departmental plans and procedures are properly and timely implemented to safeguard public health and safety; and To communicate and disseminate information obtained therefrom. The committee will be meeting with the following to discuss enforcement of the 14-day quarantine and stay-at-home orders: 2:30 p.m. Department of the Attorney General Ms. Clare Connors, Attorney General Department of Transportation Mr. Jade Butay, Director Hawai'i Tourism Authority Mr. Chris Tatum, CEO Honolulu Police Department Ms. Susan Ballard, Chief of Police Department of Planning and Permitting Ms. Kathy Sokugawa, Acting Director Hawai'i Quarantine Kapu Breakers Ms. Angela Keen Please note that there may be committee members or invited speakers participating remotely via video or teleconference. The meeting will be available for live viewing on ‘Olelo Channel 49 on O‘ahu and will go out live for pick-up by neighbor island public access channels. It will also stream live online at olelo.org/49. No public testimony will be accepted. If you require special assistance, please call 586-6800 or email your request to waysandmeans@capitol.hawaii.gov.

City and County of Honolulu in partnership with local credit unions launches the Small Business Relief and Recovery Fund Today at noon, the City and County of Honolulu in partnership with four credit unions — Aloha Pacific Federal Credit Union, Hawai‘i State Federal Credit Union, Hawai‘i USA Federal Credit Union, Honolulu Federal Credit Union — launched the Small Business Relief and Recovery Fund that provides up to $10,000 in reimbursements to O‘ahu’s small businesses with less than $1,000,000 in gross annual revenue and thirty or fewer employees. The response from the business community has been overwhelming, and the participating credit unions are dealing with a heavy volume of applications and queries from applicants. The large volume of applications and the submission of incomplete applications has resulted in a backlog, and individual applicants may have experienced frustration with the application uploading process and response times. However, applications are being received and processed. As of 4 p.m. today, the most recent application information is as follows: Aloha Pacific Federal Credit Union received 226 applications; Hawai‘i State Federal Credit Union received 277 applications; Hawai‘i USA Federal Credit Union received 249 applications; and Honolulu Federal Credit Union received 434 applications. Based on these reported numbers, the program has accepted 1,186 applications island-wide from local small business in the first four hours of being open. “We launched this program for small local businesses with $25 million in CARES funding because we knew there was need,” said Mayor Caldwell. “I want to assure applicants that we stand ready to allocate more funds as the applications come in and get approved through this week.” The City Economic Development Office has been informed by partner credit unions that many applications are either incompletely filled out or submitted without required documentation, adding to the response time. The City encourages applicants to visit the Required Information for Application tab on the City’s small-business page that shows all required information and documentation for application so you can prepare yourself adequately for the application process. The Small Business Relief and Recovery Fund tab also includes a FAQ page to answer most questions regarding the program. “Our credit union partners are working at full capacity to process applications and respond to inquiries,” said Ed Hawkins, Executive Director of the Office of Economic Development. “We ask for your understanding if you experience backlog on your application, or issues in your application process during this very busy launch period. We are working together to smoothen the application process and service your requests. We are also working with local Chambers of Commerce and other community group to get the information out to the businesses and assist those who may need help in applying.” Applicants are reminded that the City’s oneoahu.org website is only a portal to the servicing partner credit unions that applicants choose. The City call center and the City email response teams are not collecting information for applications or able to answer questions about the application form and materials. Phone numbers for each partner credit union are listed on the City’s oneoahu.org/small-business webpage to inquire about individual business application status. The City’s COVID-19 hub for information at www.oneoahu.org has been the main portal for eligible businesses to find the correct credit union to apply for assistance based on their GET number. OneOahu.org had over 40,000 page views today, and has now been visited as a resource by nearly 20% of all Oʻahu residents since the City first launched the site on March 23, 2020.

Governor Ige outlines re-opening/recovery plan, extends 14-day quarantine for travelers to Hawai‘i, inter-island traveler Gov. David Ige today signed the 8th supplemental emergency proclamation, extending the 14-day quarantine for travelers arriving in the State of Hawai‘i, as well as for inter-island travelers through June 30. The governor also extended through June 30 the eviction moratorium that prevents evictions from residential dwellings for failure to pay rent. In addition, Gov. Ige unveiled the re-opening and recovery plan for the State of Hawai‘i -- a strategy that conveys the coordinated, statewide approach to jumpstarting the economy and recovery from the COVID-19 crisis. According to the plan – the state will start to gradually re-open medium-risk businesses and operations beginning in June – assuming the state’s COVID-19 activity remains manageable. The re-opening of high-risk businesses and operations will eventually follow, as long as Hawai‘i’s disease activity continues to remain manageable. “It is important to act with care by maintaining physical distancing and safe practices throughout the re-opening, to protect the health and safety of the people of Hawai‘i. I am committed to making decisions based on data, science, and best practices,” said Gov. Ige. Hawai‘i’s re-opening strategy for businesses and operations is informed by the World Health Organization, the Centers for Disease Control, and Johns Hopkins Public Health Principles for a Phased Reopening, based on Contact Intensity & Number of Contacts. “As we move forward with re-opening, I will consult with subject-matter experts, county mayors, and our community to make informed decisions to safely move forward with re-opening our state. Under this strategy, counties may choose to relax stricter local orders at their own pace in coordination with my office,” said Gov. Ige. A 14-day observation period between re-openings will allow the state time to assess conditions/disease activity before moving to the next level. As a safeguard, the state can consider the option of moving back – closing businesses and re-implementing restrictions if disease activity significantly increases. The re-opening and recovery strategy (Beyond Recovery: Reopening Hawai‘i) includes four phases: Phase 1: Stabilization focuses on healing Hawai‘i by saving lives and flattening the curve in our community. (Hawai‘i has transitioned through this phase by re-opening low-risk businesses in the last few weeks). Phase 2: Re-opening celebrates Hawai‘i’s Kama‘āina Economy, where the state starts to re-open medium-risk businesses and activities, and later – re-opening high-risk businesses and activities. Phase 3: Long-term recovery - where the state renews and rebuilds Hawai‘i’s economy through planning and policy discussions, incorporating transitional workforce modernization opportunities, supporting economic diversification initiatives, targeting the development of emerging industries, and advancing long-term resiliency planning. At this level, the state will focus on re-opening highest risk businesses and activities, while remaining cautious and adjusting Safe Practices as needed. This phase is expected to take much longer, since this phase covers the reshaping of Hawai‘i’s economy. Phase 4: Resilience is the intended outcome for Hawai‘i. Together, we will emerge stronger and more resilient as a result of learning from and overcoming this unprecedented challenge. Under the emergency proclamation, county mayors will have the authority to make decisions for their counties – including re-opening businesses and implementing restrictions – with the governor’s approval. MATERIALS: For the full slide presentation “Beyond Recovery: Reopening Hawai‘i” – click here. For Gov. Ige’s Re-opening Memo – click here.