HB-1286 Submitted On: 2/5/2021 4:25:21 PM Testimony for PDP on 2/9/2021 8:30:00 AM
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HB-1286 Submitted on: 2/5/2021 4:25:21 PM Testimony for PDP on 2/9/2021 8:30:00 AM Testifier Present at Submitted By Organization Position Hearing James E Raymond Individual Oppose No Comments: As a retired Deputy Attorney General, I can tell you this bill has a number of flaws, primarily in the form of ambiguities and unanticipated consequences. But more importantly, it forces Kauai to follow the unSafe Travels program that has already been found to cause significant problems for that island -- why in the world would you want to spoil the only safe harbor in Hawaii? This bill would also remove the option for any other Mayor that decides to opt out of the unSafe Travels program. The bill represents the worst kind of special interest micro- managing by the legislature and ruins the ability of the Governor to react quickly and decisively to the pandemic - please kill this bill. Aloha, Please do not approve HB 1286, a bill that seeks to impose a single set of travel rules on a county that has successfully kept its Covid rates low, and has the data to show that their brief participation in the Safe Travels pre-test out of quarantine program greatly increased their case rate. To pass this bill would undermine the clear will of the majority of Kauai voters as expressed via their elected leaders. Kauai followed the rules and asked permission from the Governor for separated protocols. He did not approve the post test system they wanted, but did approve the county withdrawing from the "Safe Travels" program, and they chose this. Why should the Legislature insert itself into this process? It seems like an anti-democratic move. While reasonable people can disagree on the best balance of public health and economic needs, and therefore everyone on Kauai will not agree with their county’s position, it appears that someone in the business community is attempting an end run around the process by going to the Legislature. Do not make the mistake of inserting yourselves into this complex mix. Personally, I wish all counties could do a post test on day 3 to 5 after arrival (as recommended by the CDC) - but we were told early on that there was not enough testing capacity in the state to do this. Is that still the case? And should it be considered with the new variant strains on the rise? If the concern is that different travel rules confuse travelers, anyone traveling right now should expect chaos and confusion. This is not a normal time, visitors who are traveling for vacation are already risk takers who are choosing the risks of traveling during a global pandemic, and one of those is constant change and the need to be flexible. We should not coddle them, or sacrifice the health of residents to accommodate them. In fact, I suggest Hawaii pivot towards seeking wealthier travelers for the near future, those who can afford a quarantine stay. Kauai should not be treated as naughty child, but as an example for other counties to at least consider. Please do not pass this bill out of committee. Mahalo Doris Segal Matsunaga Retired health professional ‘Aiea, Hawai’i HB-1286 Submitted on: 2/6/2021 5:32:03 AM Testimony for PDP on 2/9/2021 8:30:00 AM Testifier Present at Submitted By Organization Position Hearing Steven J Starr Individual Support No Comments: To the Honorable Hawaii State Representatives -- We would like to introduce ourselves during these trying times, to add our voices to the concerns expressed by many Kauai businesses respecting the viability of their enterprises under the current travel restrictions. Our family lives in Texas, and we have owned a two-week interest at the Waiohai Beach Club in Koloa for fourteen years. We enjoy visiting Kauai every few years, which has truly become a home away from home. That pleasant fiction is more important than ever these days. This June we are scheduled to return to Kauai, and truly relish the prospect of visiting the island that we love so much. This year is particularly important as we are being joined by our oldest son who recently graduated college -- the trip is actually a belated graduation trip which we were unable to enjoy last summer due to the pandemic. Unfortunately, we are significantly concerned in light of Kauai County's decision to opt out of quarantine exceptions that have been adopted by neighboring islands. The preservation of the health and safety of every community is obviously paramount, and to that end the state has adopted rules to provide adequate protections. Like so many others, our family practices safe protocols on a daily basis. We stay in our home, don't dine inside restaurants and wear masks at all times when away from our house. We have each also received COVID vaccines, but our two sons may not have by June -- as they are not in a priority group. Our family continues to be deeply invested in the Kauai community, and will remain so for years to come. We respect its opt-out decision, and understand it. While we desperately hope to be able to return in June and safely celebrate on the beautiful island with our family -- and help promote the local economy -- unless we are permitted a quarantine exemption based on either vaccination or a pre-travel negative COVID-19 test, a 10-day in-room quarantine would effectively destroy any reason to travel. We will have to make a decision to either keep or cancel our travel dates prior to the second week of April, and our hope is that Kauai will have relaxed its rules well before then. Hopefully the rules governing travel to Kauai will evolve by April (when we have to make our final "go / no-go" travel decision) -- to take into consideration both negative tests as well as vaccinations for quarantine exemptions. We simply can't travel if our sons are quarantined, even though we may be exempted. Thank you for your time. Steven J. Starr [email protected] 214-280-4700 Alicia L. Starr, MD [email protected] 214-280-8700 HB-1286 Submitted on: 2/6/2021 7:00:48 AM Testimony for PDP on 2/9/2021 8:30:00 AM Testifier Present at Submitted By Organization Position Hearing Rolando Cordova Individual Support No Comments: I’ve been fallowing Kauai’s COVID-19 restrictions and cases since this all began. I have always been supportive of the way Kauai has handle this pandemic until the last couple emergencies proclamations. I was always pro pre travel test and post travel test until the rule changed allowing only to quarantine on a resort bubble to post travel test. It’s seem from the latest cases that resident and some visitor are not pre testing since they will be force to quarantine, specially residents. I understands that hotels made an investment purchasing this equipment and they have to make some money back, but prices for people to quarantine at resort bubble it’s high and this is not even counting the post travel test. I’m also a second home/ vacation rental owner in Kauai and I have been in a lot of hardship due to lost of income. I have pending business to take care of in Kauai and I have not been able to do so because of the travel restriction. I made the decision to come to Kauai staying 4 days in Oahu a re test to be able to go to Kauai without quarantining, this option was actually cheaper than staying at a resort bubble. Letting people come with a pending test was the issue with the safe travels program. The Mayor never gave enough time to that change before you pulled out of the program. Now people are allow to do so if they come to a Resort bubble, putting in danger people in the airport, airplane, transportation staff, hotel staff and other guest at the hotel. This new rule seems counterproductive. This weeks a was surprise that the Mayor presented date comparing occupancy percentage, when we know that information is only for hotels and not thousands of vacation rentals units. He try to make it seems like Kauai occupancy was similar to other island, when we know that is not realistic. To this day, the mayor has failed present a plan to move forward. It’s great that Kauai has almost 0 actives cases, but also there is a need to balance how things are being done. Hopefully a statewide approach will be next steps, to avoid confusion and be able to get back to some kind of normal. Thank you for your time Rolando Cordova HB-1286 Submitted on: 2/6/2021 9:03:20 AM Testimony for PDP on 2/9/2021 8:30:00 AM Testifier Present at Submitted By Organization Position Hearing RobertAnn K Goias Individual Oppose No Comments: I am against this bill. Being that I live on the island of Kauai we are the safest of all the islands due to our wonderful mayor and the choices he has made for our island! HB-1286 Submitted on: 2/6/2021 9:48:58 AM Testimony for PDP on 2/9/2021 8:30:00 AM Testifier Present at Submitted By Organization Position Hearing Beth N. Carvin Individual Oppose No Comments: 2/6/21 To whom it may concern: I submit this testimony to oppose HB1286. While I appreciate the bill originator's intent on getting consistency across the state, we have seen over the last 10 months that one-size does not fit all in regard to pandemic response.