Hotel Operators Responsible for Guests who Become COVID Positive New Mandate States

A new emergency proclamation from Gov. David Ige indicates that hotel operators are required to accommodate guests (on- or off-site) who become COVID-19 positive or have been identified as a close contact of someone positive for COVID-19.

The 15th COVID-19 emergency proclamation issued Monday also extends and clarifies the statewide mask mandate as agreed by all four counties and the state.

All persons in the state are mandated to wear a face-covering over their nose and mouth when in public, the proclamation states.

Additionally, all persons shall comply with applicable safety, hygiene and physical distancing guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as well as with state, county, industry and regulatory practices for safety, hygiene and physical distancing, including standards and requirements adopted and issued by Hawaii Department of Health (DOH).

The proclamation also specifies that “An owner or operator of any business or operation shall refuse admission or service to any individual who fails to wear a face-covering unless an exception applies under this section.” Those that do not may be subject to enforcement, including fines and mandatory closure.

A face covering mandate has been in place in Hawaiʻi since April 25 Ige signed the Sixth Emergency Proclamation.

As the state’s visitor arrivals increase as a result of the pre-travel testing program, the proclamation now requires all hotel operators in the state to adopt a COVID-19 Health and Safety Plan for each property. The plan must address guidance from the CDC, identify measures enacted in response to COVID-19 and what guests/employees may expect in terms of service, accommodations and safety protocols.

Hotel operators are required to submit their plan to the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority and publish it on their website.

The 15th Covid-19 emergency proclamation also extends the moratorium on evictions for non-payment of rent until this proclamation expires on Dec. 31, 2020.

The 15th COVID-19 emergency proclamation can be found here.