The Honorable David Ige Executive Chambers Dear Governor Ige: Senate President Ronald D. Kouchi and House Speaker Scott K. Saiki sent you letters on March 19 and 20, 2020, asking you to take aggressive action to contain COVID-19. We are extremely disappointed that you and your administration continue to fail to realize the gravity of the situation Hawaii faces and have not led our state with one decisive voice. The statement you made at your press conference on March 21 calling for the quarantine of arriving persons entering the State completely contradicts the Department of Health’s (DOH) statement: “There are residents of Hawaii who believe the COVID-19 positive cases here are all visitors to the state, and unfortunately, there is stigma developing against visitors in Hawaii. I am asking the media to help the public understand that of the 37 positive test results to date, 32 of them are the result of traveling residents. The majority of cases are residents who returned home after traveling." The underlying fact is that all the early COVID-19 cases came from travel related circumstances and it is because of this unimpeded travel that community spread is occurring. Your March 21 call for quarantine of all arriving persons entering the State should have been instituted earlier and at this point in time, falls short of what is needed to comprehensively address this pandemic and will jeopardize the health and well-being of the residents and the economy of Hawaii as community spread is here. The only question is the extent and harm the spread will cause. The only way to contain community spread of the virus is to impose a shelter-in-place directive upon all persons in Hawaii. Exceptions can be made for the continuity of essential services such as food (including food transportation, hubs, and farmers’ markets), medical, water, communications, gasoline, cargo, financial transactions, public safety, and federal critical infrastructure sectors. This is a medical crisis and it calls on all of us to heed the advice of the medical community. Hundreds of local healthcare providers have already signed a letter pleading that you take such extreme measures, e.g., closure of non-essential businesses. Thousands of residents have signed on-line petitions asking you to mandate all the people in Hawaii to shelter in place. The four county councils have also demanded stronger action to protect their islands. Jurisdictions and nations that have not implemented severe restrictions have seen staggering and uncontrollable infection rates. Our kupuna and frontline medical workers are also at higher risk. Their exposure, coupled with a lack of beds and ventilators, should be reason enough to take decisive action to prevent community spread and to prevent limited medical resources to be redirected from other daily medical emergencies that residents will encounter. The Administration’s attempt to quarantine arriving passengers will only be effective if coupled with an aggressive shelter-in-place protocol for all residents. General Hara admitted at the March 21 press conference that a quarantining process will be difficult to enforce. General Hara's statement further underscores the need for a directed shelter-in-place order for all residents in conjunction with quarantining of arriving passengers. The DOH has already publicly stated that community spread is here. Your Administration lacks clear information and consistent testing protocols that leads to confusion and chaos amongst medical professionals. Your statement that there is no large community spread can only be made if your administration has tested every individual who requested testing and as DOH has repeatedly stated, we lack the resources to do that. While there have been some large group screenings, many residents who requested testing were refused and told to self-quarantine until symptoms arise, then and only then to inform their personal physician or urgent care. That means that at this time, we do not know whether there is a large community spread, and the Administration’s refusal to take appropriate further aggressive action until we see widespread community outbreak is irresponsible. The Administration’s attempt to institute a voluntary shelter-in-place approach is not working. This has resulted in various counties using different approaches, i.e., restaurant restrictions on Oahu and Maui, curfew on Kauai, and none on the Big Island. Also, responsible citizens have taken steps to shut down their places of work while others have not. Lack of consistency and uniformity will not contain the virus but result in overtaxing the medical professionals and bring uncertainty to when the voluntary shelter-in-place will end. This will result in delay in any recovery attempt. Governor, please take every preventative action possible to keep this from escalating into a full-blown public health crisis. #COVID19 #Coronavirus #ShelterInPlace #HawaiiSenate #RonKouchi

What: Tsunami Watch Canceled Who: Hawai'i Emergency Management Agency When: Tuesday, March 24, 2020 TSUNAMI THREAT CANCELED The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center has CANCELED a TSUNAMI WATCH for the Hawaiian Islands effective March 24, 2020 at 5:54 PM.

Crew will remain on the ship while it is in port The Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT) Harbors Division notifies the public that additional cruise ships are planning to enter Honolulu Harbor for fuel and provisions. The MS Regatta cruise ship is anchored offshore and will come into port after all the passengers on the Norwegian Jewel ship have disembarked. There are no passengers on the ship. The crew will remain on the vessel while at port. There have been no confirmed or suspected cases of COVID-19 associated with the vessel. The Seven Seas Navigator and Seven Seas Mariner ships have also requested to enter Honolulu Harbor for fuel and provisions. Like the Regatta, no passengers are on either of those vessels. Crew members will be required to stay on the ships the entire time they are in port. There are no confirmed or suspected cases of COVID-19 on the ships. The arrival dates for the ships are to be determined. A temporary and voluntary suspension in cruise ship passenger operations took effect March 14, 2020. Cruise ships are not able to stay at sea for the duration of the 30 day pause in operations. Cruise lines are relocating ships around the world. Additional cruise ships may port at Honolulu Harbor to refuel. Each case will be considered on an individual basis.

School facilities will remain closed to students through April 30, based on the latest guidance and information from health officials and elected leaders. Traditional, in-school instruction is on hold until schools reopen. Tips and tools gathered by HIDOE’s Office of Curriculum and Instructional Design are also available for the public at bit.ly/HIDOEVirtualLearningParentResource The Hawaii State Department of Education (HIDOE) announced today school facilities will remain closed to students through April 30, based on the latest guidance and information from health officials and elected leaders. Traditional, in-school instruction is on hold until schools reopen. “I want to thank each and every one of the Department’s 44,000 employees for working in new ways during these unprecedented times,” Superintendent Dr. Christina Kishimoto said. “These are uncertain and anxious circumstances for everyone in our communities and we sincerely appreciate your patience as our response to this health crisis continues to evolve and we make the needed adjustments for health and safety.” The Department, along with charter schools, will be sending out information about enrichment opportunities, including online resources and printed material resources such as instructional packets. Parents and guardians are encouraged to look out for information from their child’s school and teachers. Tips and tools gathered by HIDOE’s Office of Curriculum and Instructional Design are also available for the public at bit.ly/HIDOEVirtualLearningParentResource. Special education services Schools will ensure that students with disabilities have equal access to the same enrichment opportunities as their peers. Schools are working toward providing the most appropriate modifications and accommodations under the circumstances. Related services that can be provided via telepractice will be considered on a case-by-case basis for students who have qualified for these services. When school resumes in its traditional manner, Individualized Education Program (IEP) and Section 504 teams will meet to determine if there was a loss of skills as a result of the extended school closure, and the need for compensatory education. Grab-and-go meal school sites Nine additional sites will begin breakfast and lunch service Wednesday, March 25. Parents and caregivers who come to pick up a meal must be accompanied by a child. Meals will not be served Thursday, March 26, which is Prince Kuhio Day. For the complete list of sites, click here. By the end of this week, the Department will be sharing specific plans to ensure its 10,000 eligible high school graduates can earn diplomas. The Department will also provide next-level information based on the planning work accomplished by schools, complex areas and state offices for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year. “We remain focused on and committed to our educational mission and we look forward to resuming instruction and a sense of normalcy as quickly as possible,” Kishimoto added. HIDOE COVID-19 updates will continue to be posted on the Department’s website at hawaiipublicschools.org.

We are now LIVE: The Senate Special Committee on COVID-19 will be going live today at 12 p.m. on our YouTube page with David Lassner of the University of Hawai'i, Dr. Christina Kishimoto Superintendent of DOE, and Chris Tatum CEO of Hawaii Tourism Authority regarding Hawaii's COVID-19 plans and procedures. Please click link below to connect to youtube. Mahalo!

The Senate Special Committee on COVID-19 will convene today to assess and advise the Senate regarding how the State of Hawai‘i will continue to deal with the pandemic. The agenda will include, but not be 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 implemented in a timely manner in order to safeguard public health and safety; and Communicate and disseminate the information gathered. The special committee will be meeting with the following: 12:00 p.m.: University of Hawaii President David Lassner 1:00 p.m..: Superintendent Christina Kishimoto, Department of Education 2:00 p.m.: CEO Chris Tatum, Hawaii Tourism Due to social distancing measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19 at the State Capitol, the meetings will not be open to the public to attend in person. To watch the livestream of the meeting via YouTube, link to https://youtu.be/kMJBYIQ-if0 The special committee members are: Senator Donovan M. Dela Cruz, Senator Jarrett Keohokalole, Senator Michelle N. Kidani, Senator Donna Mercado Kim, Senator Sharon Y. Moriwaki, and Senator Kurt Fevella.

First COVID-19 Death Report Undergoing Confirmation The Dept. of Health continues to investigate the death of an elderly adult on O‘ahu. Irregularities in testing conducted by the State Laboratories Division prompted DOH leadership to order retesting. The State lab initially received an indeterminate test from a private testing lab and late yesterday the state lab reported the test as positive for COVID-19. Retesting is underway now and confirmatory results will be released, possibly this evening. Statewide Stay-at-Home, Work-at-Home Order To protect public health and safety during this pandemic Governor David Ige signed a supplementary proclamation Monday, ordering the entire state to stay at home and work from home starting at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, March 25 through April 30. Essential workers, such as health care professionals and public health workers are exempt. The state and county orders are implemented to reduce the risk of spread of the COVID-19 virus and to protect the ability of public and private healthcare providers to handle the influx of new patients and to safeguard public health and safety. Many additional closures and restrictions are in place statewide and the Dept. of Health encourages all citizens to stay up-to-date and to practice social distancing protocols at all times. Reminder of Governor’s Order for Self-Quarantine of All Travelers to Hawai‘i Effective, Thursday, March 26, 2020, Governor David Ige has ordered that all persons entering the State of Hawai‘i to self-quarantine for 14 days or for the duration of their stay in Hawai‘i, whichever is shorter. Upon arrival, residents are required to quarantine in a designated location in their residence. Visitors will quarantine in their hotel room, rented lodging or in a room if staying at a residence. Quarantined individuals may only leave their designated location for medical emergencies or to seek medical care. Failure to comply with all rules and protocols related to quarantines is punishable by fines of up to $5,000 and/or imprisonment of up to one year. FDA Guidance on Food Safety The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has provided guidance on food safety for the COVID-19 pandemic. Currently there is no evidence that the virus has spread from food or food packaging. The FDA is also aggressively monitoring the market for fraudulent COVID-19 testing kits.  Complete information on food safety and approved testing can be found at: http://www.afdo.org The DOH reminds people to be judicious when shopping for food and essential goods so that kūpuna and others in need are able to purchase necessary items. Who should be tested? Individuals who are not experiencing systems do not need to be tested. DOH strongly urges public health and healthcare professionals to prioritize testing among three specific groups: Health care workers and first responders with COVID-19 symptoms. Older Americans who have symptoms of COVID-19, especially those living in congregate settings. Individuals who may have other illnesses that would be treated differently if they were infected with COVID-19 and therefore physician judgment is especially important for this population Other people with mild illness should help protect our most vulnerable and conserve our precious supplies by practicing social distancing measures, monitoring their illness, and calling their healthcare provider if their symptoms worsen or persist. Guidance and guidelines for public health professionals and healthcare workers: www.cdc.gov/covid19 Social Distancing COVID-19 recommendations are changing the rules on how much physical distance individuals should keep from each other. Cancelling events that do not allow attendees to be at least six feet apart—the equivalent of two arms-length—and avoiding unnecessary physical meeting with others are proven strategies to mitigate the spread of the virus. The effectiveness of these initiatives largely depends on the cooperation and compliance from the public. The recommendations are intended to protect the most vulnerable populations: kupuna and those who are medically fragile. 14 New Positive Cases on O’ahu and Maui As of March 24, 2020, there is a total of 90 presumptive or positive COVID-19 cases in Hawai‘I, including one death, reported last night. 70 of these cases involve Hawai‘i residents and the majority (57) are on O‘ahu. Travel or contact with a traveler is the risk factor in 57 cases, and only one case has no travel history. The cause of the virus in 32 cases is unknown. Please note, that as the number of cases rises daily it may take health professionals longer to investigate possible sources of infection for individual cases. Please note the following: There was one duplicate in a previous case list, so total case count dropped by one. One case was misattributed to Hawai‘i Island when it should have been attributed to Kaua‘i. Definition of Community Spread Community spread is defined as cases that cannot be traced back to a traveler and have absolutely no travel related or involved connection with travel. We have been informed that there are residents of Hawai‘i who believe all COVID-19 positive cases originate from visitors to the state. Unfortunately, there is stigma developing against visitors in Hawai‘i. We’re asking the media to help people understand that of the 90 positive test results to date, 57 of them are the result of traveling residents. The majority of cases are residents who returned home after traveling. At this time, there may be residents returning home from a school that has closed or from other essential travel. It is important for all travelers to monitor their health for 14 days after traveling and to avoid exposing others and stay at home. Thank you for your assistance in reducing and preventing stigma and increasing understanding during this rapidly changing situation. Lab Testing More than 3,862 tests performed for people in Hawai‘i by private clinical labs to date. The DOH State Laboratories Division has tested 322 Persons Under Investigation (PUI) and 263 sentinel surveillance samples. The 263 sentinel surveillance tests have all been negative. These are representative samples taken from every county from people with flu-like symptoms who tested negative for influenza. Private laboratories are receiving steadily increasing numbers of test samples and this has created some delays in the processing of test results. Test results from private laboratories are currently taking approximately a week or more to complete and health care providers and their patients should expect results may take longer as demand continues to increase. 2-1-1 Call Center for Information on COVID-19 The Aloha United Way call center is open daily between 7 a.m. – 10 p.m. For information or questions about COVID-19: Call 2-1-1 from any location in the state Text 877-275-6569 Email info211@auw.org Visit health.hawaii.gov/covid19 or coronavirus.gov

Governor Ige issues statewide order to stay at home, work from home to fight COVID-19 State tax deadlines also extended HONOLULU – Gov. David Ige signed a third supplementary proclamation Monday, ordering the entire state to stay at home and work from home starting at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, Mar. 25 through Apr. 30. Essential workers are exempt. The action complements orders issued by Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell and Maui County Mayor Mike Victorino over the weekend. “The threat of COVID-19 is unprecedented and requires aggressive action,” said Ige. “I have been in discussions with our county mayors who are developing their own plans to meet the unique needs of their counties. We also agree that a statewide order is necessary for cohesion and consistency.” To ensure that the state continues to provide essential, core services, there are exemptions in the following categories: Healthcare services, grocery stores and pharmacies, food production and farming, public and private schools, restaurants offering take-out services, hotels and motels, construction, and essential government functions. In turn, residents can leave their homes for various needs, including healthcare, purchasing food, medicine and gasoline, taking care of the elderly, minors, and those with disabilities, returning to a place of residence outside of Hawai‘i, picking up educational materials for distance learning, receiving meals and any other related services, and outdoor exercise – including surfing, swimming and walking pets. Non-compliance would be a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $5,000, or up to one year in jail, or both. For questions about exemptions, email CovidExemption@hawaii.gov. Those who would like to volunteer ideas or resources to assist in the response effort should email CovidKokua@hawaii.gov. Gov. Ige also announced the state is extending tax deadlines for the Hawai‘i 2019 individual and corporate income tax filing and payments. The deadline is extended from April 20 to July 20. Taxpayers do not need to take any action to participate in the tax relief program. The department is making necessary system changes to include the new dates. However, taxpayers expecting a refund for tax year 2019 should file as soon as possible. For video click here For photos click here

2019 Income Tax Filing and Payment Deadline Extended to July 20, 2020; All Other Tax Filing and Payment Deadlines Unchanged HONOLULU – As announced by Governor Ige today, the State of Hawaii is granting special tax relief for State Income taxpayers similar to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in response to the COVID-19 emergency. Hawaii 2019 Income tax filing and payment due dates will be extended: Individual and Corporate Income tax returns for Tax Year 2019 due from April 20, 2020 to June 20, 2020 are extended to July 20, 2020. Individual Income tax payments for Tax Year 2019 due from April 20, 2020 to June 20, 2020 are extended to July 20, 2020. Corporate Income tax payments for corporations for Tax Year 2019 due from April 20, 2020 to June 20, 2020 are extended to July 20, 2020. Taxpayers who are entitled to a refund or pay the Tax Year 2019 Income tax due by July 20, 2020 receive an automatic extension to file the associated return by October 20, 2020. Additional action is not needed by Income taxpayers to participate in this tax relief program. The Department is making the necessary system changes for these new due dates. Individual income taxpayers who are expecting refunds for Tax Year 2019 are encouraged to file as soon as possible. Hawaii residents can file Form N-11 (Hawaii Resident Income tax) for FREE using Hawaii Tax Online (hitax.hawaii.gov). Filing and payment dates for all non-Income taxes (Withholding, General Excise, Transient Accommodations, etc.) are unchanged.

Honolulu, Hawai‘i – Senate President Ron Kouchi (D-Kauai) made the following statement today after Governor David Ige issued a statewide stay-at-home order effective Wednesday, March 25 at 12:01 a.m. to slow the spread of COVID-19. “I strongly support Governor Ige’s decision to issue this stay-at-home order. It is critical that we act now to slow the spread of COVID-19 and protect our community from this disease. This action is a huge sacrifice that we could have never imagined a year ago, but we must face this challenge. All of us working together can stem the tide of COVID-19. I thank the Governor for implementing our recommendation for the stay-at-home order.” #COVID19 #Coronavirus #HawaiiSenate #DavidIge #RonKouchi

Public Health Emergency Rules amended for residents to stay at home during COVID-19 crisis Mayor Michael Victorino announced a “stay at home and work from home” amendment to the Public Health Emergency Rules in an effort to fight the spread of COVID-19. The amendment is effective at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, March 25, 2020. The new order will be in effect until April 30. “The health and safety of our community has always been my top priority and I believe we need to take bold actions if we are to stop the spread of this virus,” Mayor Victorino said. “I am ordering all our residents to stay at home and our visitors to stay in their rooms as much as possible. Critical services and operations will continue, and everyone will still be able to get groceries and essential supplies. “However, we need to work together and continue to take care of each other with compassion and care.” Overview of the new amendment: Order to Stay/Work from home: Stay at home or place of lodging except for “essential activities,” “essential businesses” or “government operations” Where possible, County of Maui departments will employ tele-work and other methods to provide distancing, while ensuring continuity of services NO public or private gatherings outside the home Essential Activities include: Essential to maintain health and safety, like getting medicine or seeing a doctor Getting food, pet food, and supplies necessary for staying at home Doing solitary outdoor activity, such as walking, hiking, or running Performing work to operate an essential business or essential government function (defined below) Caring for a family member in another household Caring for elderly, minors, dependents, person with disabilities, or other vulnerable persons Travel limited to essential activities or operation of essential business or essential government function. Government and Private Services or Businesses May Remain OPEN: First responders, emergency management personnel, emergency dispatchers, law enforcement and County of Maui personnel Healthcare operations, including home health workers Essential infrastructure, including operation of public transportation and utilities Grocery stores, food banks, convenience stores Businesses that provide necessities of life for economically disadvantaged individuals and shelter facilities Pharmacies, health care supply stores, and health care facilities Gas stations, auto repair facilities, and auto supply stores Financial institutions Refuse collection Hardware, lumber, and building materials stores Maintenance service providers, like plumbers, electricians, exterminators necessary to maintain safety, sanitation, and essential operation of residences and businesses Laundromats and laundry service providers Businesses that primarily ship or deliver groceries, food and goods Childcare facilities that enable essential employees to go to work Newspapers, television, radio, and other media Construction and maintenance, public and private Agricultural operations Businesses that supply other essential business with support or supplies necessary to operate Business conducting legally mandated activities Businesses that provide food, shelter, and other necessities of life for animals, including animal shelters, rescues, kennels, and adoption facilities Funeral, mortuary, cremation, burial, cemetery, and related services, provided, the services provided must comply with Social Distancing Requirements at all times reasonably possible Public and private K-12 schools, colleges, and universities for distance learning and essential functions Businesses needed to support essential governmental or essential business functions Hotels, motels and support services Public and Private Facilities and Businesses Required to CLOSE All businesses not listed as “essential businesses” Restaurants and cafes will be allowed to provide takeout and delivery service Bars, nightclubs, theaters, public gathering venues, and tourist attractions Gyms, recreation facilities, and other places of public gathering, regardless of size County parks, golf course and beach parks are ordered closed Violation Violation of the rules is punishable as a misdemeanor, with fines of up to $5,000, up to a year in jail, or both. “Decisive action is needed to stem the spread of COVID-19 and protect our healthcare resources, our hospital beds, respirators and the health and safety of doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals,” Mayor Victorino said. “I humbly ask all of us to do our part to flatten the curve and come together as a community.” For more information, visit the County of Maui’s website at mauicounty.gov. source: https://www.mauicounty.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=9939

Senate President Ronald D. Kouchi is working with Major General Kenneth S. Hara, Adjutant General for the State of Hawai‘i, Department of Defense, to coordinate the distribution of food from vendors who have excess inventory due to the shutdown of restaurants throughout the state due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “I want to thank these local companies willing to step up and help our community during these challenging times," said the senator. The companies who will be helping are: · Y. Hata & Co., Ltd. · Hawaii Food Products, Inc. · Armstrong Produce, Ltd. · HPC Foods, Ltd. · Manson Products Co., Inc. · Ham Produce and Seafood · Finest Food Co., Inc. · D. Otani Produce, Inc. · Joe Kim’s Kimchi · Sysco (O‘ahu, Maui, Kaua‘i and Hawai‘i Island) · Watanabe Vegetable Processing · Kula Produce Co., Ltd. · Esaki’s Produce · Hilo Products, Inc. · Cal-Kona Produce, Inc. · Farm Link Hawai‘i · Sustainable Moloka‘i · Kilauea Community Agricultural Center #FoodDonation #KennethHara #DOD #Kokua #COVID19 #Coronavirus #RonKouchi