A Florida man and an Illinois woman are the latest people to be arrested and charged under the State’s COVID-19 emergency rules. 25-year-old Mitchell Lawrence Shier of Miami and 27-year-old Anne Elizabeth Rush were first contacted by Honolulu Police yesterday, the same day they’d checked into a Waikiki hotel. Hotel staff called police after they saw the couple returning to their room with shopping bags and take-out food in violation of the mandatory, traveler 14-day self-quarantine rule. This morning special agents from the Dept. of the Attorney General’s Investigations Division went to the hotel and arrested Shier and Rush. They are charged with violation of the 14-day quarantine rule and unsworn falsification to authorities. Also, yesterday, 60-year-old Leif Anthony Johansen of Truckee, California was observed by a witness jet-skiing off a North Shore beach. Authorities say he was supposed to be in self-quarantine at his Waialua home beginning on April 18th. Yesterday, Johansen was seen leaving his residence and was then followed to Costco in Waipio. He was arrested by AG’s special agents as he was loading groceries into his vehicle. In addition to being charged for violating the self-quarantine rule, he is also charged with unsworn falsification to authority. Shier, Rush, and Johanson were booked and charged and then released on their own recognizance and ordered to complete their remaining quarantine periods in their place of lodging or home. On Maui, 34-year-old William Lefear is voluntarily returning to his home in Houston today, after being contacted by Maui Police repeatedly for violating the mandatory self-quarantine rule. His quarantine period was scheduled to end on May 11. An investigation revealed that Lefear left his hotel room late Monday and returned after midnight. The next morning when officers contacted him, he said he wasn’t aware of the mandatory self-quarantine. He told them he now understood the rules and would not leave his room again. Tuesday evening police were contacted again, as the Texas resident was seen leaving his room. He was arrested and released pending further investigation. Hawai‘i Attorney General Clare Connors reminds all visitors and returning residents flying into Hawai‘i at this time, “It is always our hope that persons coming to our state follow our laws and respect the needs of our community. In light of the health and safety concerns presented by this pandemic, law enforcement has a zero-tolerance attitude towards anyone who violates the traveler self-quarantine rule. When we receive reports of violations, we will pursue them. We’re asking everyone flying into the state to respect the emergency rules for their own protection and for the health and well-being of all of Hawai‘i.” #covid19 #coronavirus #ClareConnors #Maui

The Special Committee will convene 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: 11:30 a.m. Department of Education Ms. Phyllis Unebasami, Deputy Superintendent 12:30 p.m. Department of Transportation Mr. Jade Butay, Director Hawai'i Tourism Authority Mr. Chris Tatum, CEO Airlines Committee of Hawai'i To be determined 2:00 p.m. Department of Health Dr. Bruce Anderson, Director Dr. Sarah Park, State Epidemiologist 3:00 p.m. Hawai'i COVID-19 Public Health Recovery Taskforce Dr. Mark Mugiishi 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. The meeting will also be streamed live on 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 #covid19 #coronavirus #waysnandmeans #hawaiisenate

Senator Lorraine R. Inouye (D-Hilo, Hamakua, Kohala, Waimea, Waikoloa, Kona) announced that $850,000 in General Obligation reimbursable bonds were recently released by Governor David Ige for improvements and upgrades to the seawater system of the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority (NELHA). “The addition of new funding will help NELHA in its mission to develop and diversify Hawaii’s economy,” Senator Inouye said, “which is even more important at this time of economic upheaval caused by the closure and scaling back of many industries due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.” NELHA is one of the largest single green economic development projects in the world. Its main facility is located on 870 acres just outside of Kailua-Kona on Hawai‘i Island. #NELHA #LorraineInouye #DavidIge #Energy #COVID19

Four Additional COVID-19 Cases Reported Four (4) new cases of coronavirus, included three (3) O‘ahu adults and one (1) Hawai‘i resident diagnosed outside of Hawai‘i. have been reported by DOH. This brings the total of COVID-19 cases in Hawai‘i to 613 since Feb. 28, 2020. As of today, 321 cases are travel-associated, 236 are community-associated, and 56 with risk factors unknown at this time. Hawai‘i COVID-19 Counts as of 12:00 noon, April 29, 2020 For more tables please visit: https://health.hawaii.gov/docd/ Maui Memorial Cluster Update As of yesterday, there are a total of 59 COVID-19 positive cases at Maui Memorial Medical Center. DOH is continuing to monitor this cluster which includes 38 staff and 21 patients.

Queen's North Hawai'i Community Hospital Outpatient Services Re-open KAMUELA, HI – Queen’s North Hawai'i Community Hospital has expanded the availability of its clinics and outpatient services. Clinics and outpatient services, such as imaging and rehabilitation services, were significantly reduced last month and elective procedures were ceased in order to limit the spread of COVID-19 and increase hospital capacity to treat COVID-19 patients. The hospital has initiated numerous procedures to ensure a safe environment for patients and staff: Everyone entering the hospital or clinics will be screened and asked to wear a mask and sanitize their hands. If a patient does not have a mask, we will provide one for them. Seating in waiting rooms has been adjusted to help assure social distancing. Visitors are not allowed in hospitals or clinics. Staff members have been trained in the latest Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) protocols, and have all the necessary equipment to safely care for all patients in our community. All equipment, surfaces, and public areas are cleaned with a disinfectant approved for use and effective in killing COVID-19. The hospital plans to resume surgical services next week. Source: A Queen's Medical Center News Release (April 27, 2020)

O‘ahu motorists are reminded that a safety check inspection is not required to renew motor vehicle registrations that are expiring in April or May. The Hawai‘i Department of Transportation has closed safety inspection stations to comply with social distancing recommendations stemming from COVID-19 and extended safety inspection certificates as well as stickers through May 31, 2020. “An expired safety inspection will not hinder a vehicle registration renewal during this emergency period,” said Sheri Kajiwara, director of the city’s Department of Customer Services. The reminder comes as 133,928 motor vehicle registrations on O‘ahu are scheduled to be renewed between April and May. Vehicle registrations can be renewed online, at self-service kiosks inside select Safeway and Foodland stores, as well as by mail. More information on these options is available at the Department of Customer Services website. #safetycheckinspection #HIDOT #covid19 #coronavirus

The Special Committee will convene to assess and advise the Senate regarding the State of Hawaii's COVID-19 plans and procedures to include, but not limited to: 1) Confirm the development of the state departmental plans and procedures; 2) Review and assess current state departmental plans and procedures; 3) Review and assess whether state departmental plans and procedures are properly and timely implemented to safeguard public health and safety; 4) Review and assess the management of federal aid packages; and 5) To communicate and disseminate information obtained therefrom. The special committee will be meeting with the following: 11:00 a.m. Department of Labor and Industrial Relations Mr. Scott Murakami, Director 12:00 p.m. Department of Health, State Laboratories Dr. Edward Desmond, Administrator 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.

In a joint presentation to the Special Committee on Friday, Attorney General Clare Connors, Department of Transportation (DOT) Deputy Director of Airports Ross Higashi, and CEO of the Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) provided an update concerning the monitoring of arriving airline passengers. The Airports Division has implemented a more stringent monitoring system of arriving passengers to ensure compliance with the 14-day mandatory quarantine. This includes verification of hotel reservation for visitors and addresses of residents. Cell phone numbers are also verified on site. Once verification is cleared, individuals are allowed to leave the airport. When visitors check in at hotels, they must sign a form acknowledging the mandatory requirements of the 14-day quarantine. If arriving passengers cannot verify quarantine locations, they are then directed to law enforcement. Per the committee’s request, the State is also considering how fees may be collected from airlines or passengers for non-essential travel during the emergency declaration. This require the navigation of regulations on special funds currently before the Legislature can reconvene. The Special Committee also requests that the Governor, the Attorney General’s office, the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, law enforcement, and other divisions continue to discuss the State’s authority, capacity and cost to implement certain quarantining and monitoring possibilities, such as designated quarantine sites, ankle bracelets, facial recognition, and GPS tracking. The State must also consider an individual’s constitutional rights during and following emergency declaration. Current law allows mandatory quarantine because travel poses health and safety concerns. Tatum also reported that the HTA is continuing to work with hotels on its “Hotels for Heroes” program for health care workers with HMSA, Honolulu EMS, the Kaua‘i emergency response team, and others. Director Dr. Bruce Anderson and State Epidemiologist Dr. Sarah Park of the Department of Health (DOH) also reported to the committee. The DOH website includes a flow chart explaining the contact tracing program at https://health.hawaii.gov/coronavirusdisease2019/files/2020/04/What-Is-Contact-Tracing-04.13.2020.pdf. The program has four steps: Identify the case, find and notify contacts, advise close contacts to quarantine, and monitor close contacts for symptoms. The department needs additional volunteers to expand the program. While the volunteers it uses as helpful, they must possess the ability to conduct interviews and draw the information from the subject. The department listed three critical conditions that must be part of the plan to reopen Hawai‘i: The state must have a robust healthcare system to deal with any surge in COVID-19 cases. The contact tracing program must be continued, and any “hot spots” may need to be closed. Measures to slow the spread must be continued, including hygiene regimens and modified social distancing requirements. DOH will also establish uniform procedures and communicate them to Hawaii’s health care providers. Per the committee’s request, the department will submit the plans and needs to build a long-term structure to deal with the virus, including staffing needs for both ongoing efforts, such as contact tracing, and any surge capacity DOH might need; and public health care system infrastructure needs such as laboratories, data scientists, modernizing facilities, etc. The department will provide a preliminary budget encompassing these needs. The Special Committee also requests that the department share planning related to the reopening of our school system. And, finally, Alan Oshima, Hawaii Economic and Community Recovery and Resiliency Navigator, provided a summary of the plan to date. Its guiding principles include: Health and safety first; to work in a collaborative, inclusive and transparent manner; and respect and incorporate Hawaii’s values, unique sense of place, and way of life. In order to inform decision making and process, the plan must have clear priorities and goals for each phase, engage stakeholders and ensure transparency, use fact-based decision making, leverage national and global best practices; consider federal, state, local and private funding sources; and focus on the need for speed. High-level plan phases include: Stabilization (with an emphasis on health care), a gradual reopening based on public health safeguards, find paths to recover the economy, support society, and balance lives and livelihoods; and build a resilient economy with strong business and job growth. An online link to the plan can be found at www.recoverynavigator.hawaii.gov. In terms of economic recovery, Oshima pointed out that the state has changed its economy in the past from agriculture to tourism. The virus may be the catalyst to create a new economic model for Hawai‘i. He said our economy is interconnected and we need to look at it as a whole. Teleworking may become a new norm. Oshima said the state has not been moving in that direction fast enough, but now people see that it is possible, so it may increase. He said we may need to look beyond tourism. It may be possible to utilize the islands’ geographic isolation and instead market tourism more exclusively to keep the revenues but with fewer visitors. Also an exploration of the possibilities of the agriculture sector must be addressed, in terms of feeding residents and exporting specialty products.

The Hawai‘i Dept. of Health (DOH) is reporting the 16th death associated with the coronavirus in the state. The 16th death is an Oʻahu woman who is over 65-years-old and had underlying conditions and had been hospitalized since early April. The department is investigating whether the mode of infection was travel-related or community-associated. DOH extends its sincere condolences to the family and friends of the latest victims of this disease. A Hawai'i COVID-19 Joint Information Center news release. #covid19 #coronavirus #HawaiiDepartmentOfHealth

Yesterday, 475 people arrived in Hawaii including 118 visitors and 193 residents. 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. For Hawaii Tourism Authority and state updates regarding COVID-19 visit: https://www.hawaiitourismauthority.org/news/alerts/covid-19-novel-coronavirus/

Faith-based organizations, in addition to other community, volunteer, and non-profit organizations with emergency protective measure expenses related to the ongoing COVID-19 event, may be eligible for the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Public Assistance program as part of a Presidential Major Disaster Declaration. As part of its mission, FEMA provides grants to state, local, tribal, and territorial governments so they can continue offering critical and essential community services. Types of organizations which provide critical services that may qualify for FEMA Public Assistance (PA) grants include: Private schools that provide elementary or secondary education or an institution of higher education; Hospitals and other medical-treatment facilities; and Utilities including water, sewer, and electrical systems. Types of non-critical, essential services that may be eligible for PA grants include: Senior citizen and community centers or other community services; Food programs; Educational enrichment activities; Custodial and day care services; Disability residential services; Assisted living and low-income housing; Homeless shelters and rehabilitation services; and Performing and community arts centers. Additionally, when any organization provides emergency protective measures such as sheltering and feeding eligible at-risk individuals, FEMA may reimburse the costs of those services. The government and the organization must enter into an agreement for these services, even if the agreement is post-event; and the government could then reimburse the organization. Only organizations with state or IRS tax exempt status may be considered. For more information about eligible essential and critical service providers, go online to https://www.fema.gov/ and reference the Public Assistance Program and Policy Guide. Private Non-Profits who are providing food or conducting food distribution during this disaster should reach out to their county emergency management/civil defense agency so their efforts are visible to the county and can be coordinated with other feeding efforts in the county in order to reduce duplication of effort. For the COVID-19 disaster, organizations that provide services of a non-critical, essential governmental nature are not required to first apply for a low-interest disaster loan from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) before being considered for a PA grant. Interested private non-profit organizations should go to https://dod.hawaii.gov/hiema/rpa-covid-19/ for more information on how to apply. Questions can be emailed to DOD.COVID19@hawaii.gov. Interested agencies are invited to view a virtual Applicant Briefing on April 24th , April 28th, , and May 1st at 9:00 am. The briefing should last about 30 minutes, followed by a question and answer period. Email DOD.COVID19@hawaii.gov for the link to participate in the virtual Applicant Briefing. The deadline to submit the Request for Public Assistance (RPA) for the COVID-19 is nationally extended and will remain open for the duration of the Public Health Emergency, as declared by the Secretary of Health and Human Services, unless an earlier deadline is deemed appropriate by the Assistant Administrator, Recovery Directorate. Under the PA Program, FEMA awards grants to assist State and local governments and eligible Private Non-Profit entities with their recovery efforts. The declaration currently provides funds for eligible emergency protective measures. The federal share of the funding is 75 percent of the eligible costs. #FEMA #PublicAssistance #COVID19 #Coronavirus