HAWAIʻI HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MAJORITY CAUCUS
Hale o nā Luna Maka‘āinana
TIMELINE OF COVID-19 IN HAWAIʻI
WITH HOUSE RESPONSES
JANUARY 11, 2020
China reports its first known death from an illness caused by the coronavirus. The patient was a 61-year old male in Wuhan.
JANUARY 30, 2020
WHO declares the coronavirus a "Public Health Emergency of International Concern".
FEBRUARY 3, 2020
The House Committee on Health holds briefing on the status of COVID-19 and measures being taken by the State to address and manage the outbreak.
MARCH 3, 2020
House Resolution 54, Establishing the Select House Committee on COVID-19 Economic and Financial Preparedness, adopted by the State House of Representatives.
The House adopts its “Emergency Operations Plan for the Hawaii State Capitol” as Policy No. 1 related to “Preparation and Response to COVID-19.”
The House passes HB1629 HD1 on third reading and transmits it to the Senate as a funding bill to provide general fund appropriations to the Department of Health & Department of Defense for COVID-19 response.
MARCH 11, 2020
WHO declares COVID-19 a pandemic.
The entrance into the United States of all aliens physically present in Europe (excludes the United Kingdom and Ireland) is suspended.
MARCH 12, 2020
The Public Access Room at the State Capitol closes following a staffer's roommate's low-risk classification.
The House Select Committee on
COVID-19 Economic & Financial Preparedness holds its 1st briefing.
MARCH 18, 2020
Speaker Saiki releases a statement in support of Chris Tatum's letter to Governor Ige.
MARCH 18, 2020
Hawaii Community Foundation (HCF) and the Omidyar ‘Ohana Fund establish the Hawaii Resilience Fund with $2.5 million in initial funds.
MARCH 22, 2020
Seventy legislators sign a joint letter to Governor Ige calling for stronger shut-down and shelter-in-place orders.
MARCH 23, 2020
Governor Ige issues a third supplementary emergency proclamation ordering a state-wide stay-at-home, work-from-home directive to April 30.
APRIL 9, 2020
Speaker Saiki and Representatives write a letter to Judge David R. Foley urging him to exercise restraint in deciding whether to release inmates as a result of COVID-19.
APRIL 15, 2020
Speaker Saiki and the Senate President issue a joint statement opposing Governor Ige's proposal to furlough and salary cut state workers.
JANUARY 21, 2020
The first confirmed case of coronavirus in the United States is announced in Washington State of a man in his 30s.
JANUARY 31, 2020
The United States Department of Health and Human Services declares a public health emergency.
Honolulu's Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) is designated one of 13 American airports accepting travelers from areas with COVID-19 outbreaks.
FEBRUARY 11, 2020
WHO announces “COVID-19” as the name for the new coronavirus disease.
FEBRUARY 27, 2020
The House of Representatives receives Governor's Message No. 1 requesting expeditious consideration of SB75 making emergency appropriations to fund COVID-19 prevention & mitigation.
MARCH 4, 2020
The Legislature cancels public briefings and institutes submission of summary for 2020 Grant-in-Aid (GIA) applications.
MARCH 9, 2020
Speaker appoints members of the House Select Committee on COVID-19 Economic & Financial Preparedness. First public briefing of the Select Committee is scheduled for Thursday, March 12.
MARCH 16, 2020
The House and Senate unanimously adopt SCR 242, recessing the 2020 legislative session indefinitely. SCR 242 states the Speaker of the House and Senate President will jointly declare the day and time of the reconvening of the 2020 Legislative Session.
MARCH 16, 2020
Governor David Ige appoints HI-EMA Director/Adjutant General Kenneth S. Hara as Incident Commander for the State Joint Incident Command Center.
MARCH 19, 2020
A State Senator tests positive for COVID-19. Speaker Saiki sends a memo for immediate House Closure through April 5.
Speaker Saiki writes a letter to Governor Ige urging immediate COVID-19 action.
Screening and testing of Representatives, Senators, and staff is made available at the Capitol on March 19 and 20.
MARCH 29, 2020
President Trump extends the COVID-19 '15-Day Slow the Spread' social distancing guidelines to April 30.
APRIL 2, 2020
In a memo, Speaker Saiki announces the extension of the House of Representative's closure to April 30, consistent with Governor Ige's order.
APRIL 8, 2020
Governor Ige appoints Alan M. Oshima to lead Hawaii’s economic and community recovery, resiliency efforts. Senate President and Speaker Saiki support.
MARCH 31, 2020
The first COVID-19 related death is announced of an older adult O‘ahu resident.
Governor Ige issues the fourth supplementary emergency proclamation, which instates a 14-Day Interisland Travel Quarantine Order.
APRIL 29, 2020
Speaker Saiki and the Senate President send a memo stating they asked the Chairs of the Ways & Means and Finance Committees to propose amendments to the state supplemental budget bill.
APRIL 30, 2020
Speaker Saiki announces that the House of Representatives’ offices will remain closed through May 31 to maintain consistency with Governor David Ige’s stay-at-home order.
APRIL 17, 2020
Governor Ige issues the fifth supplementary emergency proclamation to support the development of additional affordable housing for people transitioning out of homelessness.
APRIL 20, 2020
State workers, including House of Representatives employees and legislators, begin volunteering for the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, helping with the backlog of unemployment claims.
APRIL 25, 2020
Governor Ige issues the sixth supplementary emergency proclamation and extends the stay-at-home order to May 31.
MAY 1, 2020
The Department of Labor and Industrial Relations announced the disbursement of $87,521,534 in unemployment insurance.
MAY 5, 2020
Governor Ige issues the seventh supplementary emergency proclamation which green-lights re-opening of select businesses including retail and repair services.
MAY 7, 2020
Speaker Saiki and the Senate President announce the Hawai'i State Legislature to reconvene the 2020 legislative session on Monday, May 11.
MAY 8, 2020
The Hawai'i Department of Health reported no new cases for the first time since mind-March.
MAY 11, 2020
The 2020 legislative session reconvenes with safety procedures for legislators and staff including a modified floor seating chart and mandatory temperature checks for all persons entering the Capitol.
MAY 13, 2020
The University of Hawaiʻi (UH) announced a partnership with the Hawaiʻi Department of Health (DOH) to create a program to train personnel and community health workers to support DOH in conducting COVID-19 contact tracing.
MAY 18, 2020
The House Finance Committee passes SB 75 SD2 HD1 which appropriates $1.25 billion from the federal CARES Act to the State's counties.
MAY 19, 2020
Governor Ige issues the eighth supplementary emergency proclamation, extending the 14-day travel quarantine for visitors and returning residents to June 30.
MAY 21, 2020
JUNE 24, 2020
Governor Ige announces COVID-19 pre-travel testing program for out-of-state travelers August 1
JULY 17, 2020
Governor Ige signs the 10th emergency proclamation, which keeps the mandatory 14-day quarantine in effect for travelers entering the State of Hawai‘i. The pre-travel testing option, currently scheduled to begin on Sept. 1, will be addressed in the 11th emergency proclamation in August.
JUNE 9, 2020
The House announces the 2020 legislative session to reconvene on June 22 to take up a limited number of bills pertaining to budget matters and COVID-19-related legislation.
JULY 10, 2020
The House Committees on Homelessness and Human Services along with health experts host an informational briefing to discuss controlling the spread of COVID-19 in nursing and elderly care facilities.
JULY 27, 2020
Japan includes Hawaii on a list of safe places for Japanese tourists to travel to. Hawai‘i is the only destination in the United States mentioned for consideration for Japan’s resumption of international travel. Governor Ige and House Speaker Scott Saiki express their honor to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi of Japan in a statement.
JULY 29, 2020
Due to testing delays, the Department of Health (DOH) reports 109 cases of COVID-19, the first triple digit number of cases reported in a single day.
JULY 30, 2020
The Department of Health (DOH) reports 124 new cases of coronavirus -- a new single day record.
Governor Ige signs Senate Bill 126 with modifications. SB 126 relates to the state budget and CARES Act funding allocations.
The Hawaii State Board of Education (BOE) postpones the start day for Hawaii state public schools from August 4th to August 17th. Chair of Lower Higher Education Justin H. Woodson and Majority Leader Della Au Belatti share statements on the decision.
DECEMBER 31, 2019
The World Health Organization (WHO) Country Office receives the first report of pneumonia of an unknown cause in Wuhan, China.
AUGUST 3, 2020
The Department of Health (DOH) reports 207 cases of COVID-19 making it the highest, single-day record. Approximately 114 of the cases are a result of delayed reporting over the Hurricane Douglas weekend.