COVID-19 RESOURCES

https://ethics.hawaii.gov/anti-fraud/

Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs COVID-19 Consumer Resources

Attorney General's March 31, 2020 Consumer Alert: Avoid COVID-19 Scams.

Attorney General’s March 25, 2020 Press Release on Price Gouging.

Online Extortion Scams

Domestic violence cases are rising. If you are concerned about your own safety or that of someone you know, here are resources to help.

  • In an emergency, call 9-1-1
  • Hawaii Department of Health Hotline: TEXT 605-956-5680 or CALL phone call at 808-531-3771. Hours are from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
  • National Domestic Violence Hotline (24x7)
  • Hawaii Domestic Violence Action Center
  • Shelters: PACT Ohia Domestic Violence Shelter Access Line: (808) 526-2200
    Honolulu & Leeward Shelters: (808) 841-0822
    Windward Shelter: (808) 528-0606
  • Child and Dependent Adult Protection Resources

The COVID-19 crisis is unprecedented, and has caused disruption in every segment of our society, including to our state and county governments. The Governor, through emergency proclamations and executive orders, has exercised his lawful emergency authority to suspend certain laws in order to enable government agencies to respond to this crisis on behalf of the people of Hawaiʻi.

  • Suspension Requests

State agencies’ requests to suspend laws or rules should be forwarded to the appropriate Supervising Deputy Attorney General. The relevant divisions of the Department of the Attorney General will review the agencies’ requests and provide advice and counsel before submitting suspension requests to the Governor and General Hara for review and approval.

  • Sunshine Law

The Governor’s Supplemental Proclamation issued March 16, 2020 temporarily suspended certain requirements of the State’s Sunshine Law, chapter 92, part 1, Hawaiʻi Revised Statutes.

State and state-attached boards and commissions have been advised not to hold meetings during this time unless “necessary to comply with a law or in furtherance of emergency responses.”

If a board or commission determines that it must meet, the Sunshine Law provisions have been temporarily relaxed to ensure the meeting can be conducted consistent with the mandated social distancing requirements in order to protect the members, their staff, and the public participants. To the extent possible, boards and commissions with the capability to do so are finding ways to accommodate public participation, and continually working towards enabling transparency in this new reality while under incredible pressure to address unprecedented and critical needs.

  • Uniformed Information Practices Act

The Governor’s Supplemental Proclamation issued March 16, 2020 temporarily suspended the Uniform Information Practices Act (Modified), chapter 92F, HRS (UIPA). In order to comply with the Stay-at-Home orders, the majority of government employees are teleworking. Most government offices are closed and the records maintained by those offices are not accessible in the normal course during this time. Those “essential employees” who are physically present in the office are currently dealing with matters that are critical to the essential operations of government, which will remain the priority. When the Emergency Proclamation and the Stay-At-Home orders are lifted, and it is deemed safe for employees to return to work, agency personnel will process the UIPA requests that have been received.

  • Other suspensions

Executive Order 20-02 contains suspension of laws relating to the topics listed below.

    1. Labor - to enable the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations to best address unemployment challenges.
    2. Gun registration - enables the chiefs of police to suspend deadlines for gun registration. This has become necessary because the police departments are being inundated with registration applications as people flock to purchase guns.
    3. Charter Schools - suspends certain open meeting requirements for the governing boards of charter schools.
    4. Physicians and nurses - allows out-of-state physicians and nurses to dispense medications without having to comply with registration requirements.
    5. Controlled Substances - enables more flexibility to the Department of Public Safety to issue state controlled substance registrations.
    6. Child Care benefits - loosens requirements for certain child care benefits to enable the Department of Human Services (DHS) to assist those in need.
    7. Medicaid - enables DHS to suspend fingerprinting requirements prior to enrolling Medicaid service providers.
    8. Telehealth - enables telehealth for physicians and veterinarians.
    9. Notaries - enables notaries to notarize documents remotely, consistent with social distancing requirements.
    10. Sex Offender Registration - suspends registration requirements that would require close physical contact.

This Executive Order also contains emergency rules relating to (1) notaries, and (2) child care services.

  • Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services disaster stress helpline
    • (800) 985- 5990 – specifically for help dealing with natural or human-made disasters, including COVID-19
  • CDC: cdc.gov
  • National Alliance on Mental Illness:  nami.org
    • Includes both general resources and resources for specific populations, such as homeless or incarcerated individuals
  • Find a psychologist in Hawaii:  hawaiipsychology.org
 

Guidance on Enforcement of Quarantine & Stay-at-Home Orders