Hawai‘i Senate President Calls for Adoption of Policies and Procedures for Arriving Visitors.

Kahului Airport during the COVID-19 pandemic. (04.13. 2020) Gaylord Paul Garcia for Maui Now.

Hawaiʻi Senate President Ronald D. Kouchi is calling for adoption of Senate Special Committee on COVID-19 policies and procedures for arriving visitors

In anticipation of the April 30, 2020 deadline for COVID-19 restrictions for the State of Hawaiʻi, “the primary risk for our residents is exposure from tourists and visitors who are not compliant with the 14-day mandatory quarantine,” said Sen. Kouchi in a press release statement.

He said recent events have highlighted the problem of visitor quarantine monitoring, tracking and enforcement. 

With major airlines scheduled to begin passenger service on May 1, 2020, Sen. Kouchi said, “it is essential that stringent policies and procedures be implemented and enforced.”

The Senate Special Committee on COVID-19 has raised several proposed policies and procedures that Sen. Kouchi said, “should be instituted immediately for visitors upon arrival in Hawaiʻi.” This includes proposed policies on:  health screening; identification and verification of accommodations; supervised transportation to their accommodations; and establishing monitoring and enforcement protocols.

Senate President Ronald D. Kouchi said, “through hearings with the visitor industry and the Department of Transportation, the Senate Special Committee has identified and highlighted areas of concern that if implemented, will go a long way toward ensuring the health and safety of our residents.”