All 11 Big Island state legislators issued a letter today to Mayor Harry Kim urging him to order an immediate county-wide shutdown for the next 15 days.
The letter, signed by all four Big Island senators and all seven representatives, strongly requests that Kim order an immediate closure of all County facilities and schools, send home all non-essential County personnel, prohibit all non-essential travel from the Big Island, and the quarantine of all arriving travelers at the Hilo and Kona international airports for at least 15 days.
“As Mayor, you are the only person who has the direct authority to institute these actions,” the letter read. “As state legislators, we passed and continue to support the delegated authority provided to the counties under Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS) Chapter 127, which grants you, as Mayor, the power to act in emergency situations such as the unprecedented one we face today. The entire Hawaii Island delegation is speaking with one collective voice, and we implore you to take immediate action for the health, safety, and welfare of the residents of the County of Hawaii.”