In time for Labor Day and the potential for large gatherings that could facilitate the transmission of COVID-19 on Kauai, Mayor Derek S. K. Kawakami has issued a new emergency rule (#26) establishing fines of $250 for individuals and $500 for businesses and organizers for noncompliance with the State of Hawaii’s COVID safety rules. Rule #26 was approved by Governor David Ige on Friday, September 3rd, 2021, reports the County of Kauai.
This rule establishes fines for individuals and entities that do not comply with statewide rules on:
- the wearing of face coverings;
- indoor and outdoor gathering sizes;
- guidelines for restaurants, bars, and social establishments;
- notifying and consulting with the County in regard to professional events and following County rules for those professional events; and
- restrictions on indoor capacity.
Rule #26 also grants the County’s liquor control investigators and park security officers the power to enforce this rule and issue notices of emergency period infractions, in addition to the Kauai Police Department. Park security officers may also issue notices of parking-related traffic infractions.
Any individual violating the Governor’s Emergency Order on face coverings or on gatherings, restaurants, bars, and social establishments will be fined $250 for each infraction. Any owner/operator of a gym, restaurant, bar, or social establishment violating or not enforcing the Emergency Order will be fined $500 for each infraction. Any professional organizer, social host, individual, or owner/operator of an entity organizing or hosting a gathering or event violating the Emergency Order will be fined $500.
“This new rule will allow for better enforcement of mask rules, gathering and capacity limits, and event requirements with fines instead of misdemeanor offenses,” said Mayor Kawakami. “The highly contagious Delta variant is spreading through our community. We all need to follow the rules to slow the spread of this disease while our case counts are at a record high. Please avoid large gatherings this holiday weekend and in the weeks to come, for the health of our community.”
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