Help for restaurant workers, Senate back in session
May 12, 2020
Aloha Neighbor,
Today, Monday, May 11th is “National Eat What You Want Day.” No kidding, it really is. Celebrate this day and support our local restaurants by ordering takeout today or any day.
SOME HELP FOR RESTAURANT AND BAR WORKERS
Starting tomorrow, Tuesday, May 12 at 9 am, the Kokua Restaurant Workers’ Fund will begin taking applications from restaurant and bar workers impacted by the pandemic. Workers affected by closures can apply on the Hawaii Food and Wine Festival website and will be eligible on a first come, first served basis for a Visa card valued at $250. It will be issued via U.S. mail, and can then be used at local restaurants throughout the state (some restrictions apply). Any restaurant that can accept credit cards will be able to accept this Visa card as a form of payment.
LEGISLATURE RECONVENED TODAY (Tuesday) and will continue to meet throughout this week and most of next week before recessing again. The limited purposes of these meetings is to pass key budget items and to consider Governor’s messages relating to appointments.
The Capitol building remains closed to the public under the Governor’s social distancing orders. However, hearings and floor sessions will be available for live viewing on Olelo and online at olelo.org. Click here for the legislative broadcast schedule. Since the Capitol is closed to the public, no in-person testimony will be accepted, however, written testimony is welcomed as always. Submit testimony online at capitol.hawaii.gov.
The chairs of the Senate and House committees responsible for the budget will hold a daily media availability via Zoom to provide access and transparency while the Capitol is closed. Senate Ways and Means Committee Chair Donovan Dela Cruz and House of Representatives Finance Committee Chair Sylvia Luke will hold a press conference via Zoom at 3 p.m. daily through this Friday. The press conference can be viewed live by the public on the Hawai‘i State Senate Facebook page.
SENATE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON COVID-19 UPDATE.
Airlines for America Report. Last week you heard from Airlines for America VP Sean Williams on airlines notifying passengers about Hawaii’s quarantine orders and thermal check requirement. He reported today that all carriers in the association (Alaska, American, Delta, Hawaiian, Southwest and United) are announcing Hawaii’s quarantine restrictions on their website, at the departure gate and during the flight. He also reported that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will begin temperature checks of all passengers and their employees that are in contact with passengers
Senate Special COVID-19 Committee meets again tomorrow (Tuesday) The committee will meet tomorrow at 4 pm. Reporting to the committee will be Attorney General Clare Connors to discuss issues on county and state enforcement of the COVID-19 orders.
