Gov. David Ige to update statewide mask mandate

Gov. David Ige today said he plans to sign a new emergency proclamation that will clarify rules regarding the current statewide mask mandate to curb the spread of COVID-19. Ige said he met with all four county mayors on Friday to create identical rules for mask requirements across all islands, he told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser’s Spotlight Hawaii program today. “It will be required for everyone in the state of Hawaii to wear a mask while they’re in public. Period,” Ige said. His 15th COVID-19 proclamation will include the “exact same language” across all islands, Ige said. “It will be same all across the state.” There will continue to be exemptions for not wearing masks, which Ige did not immediately detail. But all of the exemptions will now be identical in each county, he said. “There are exemptions … and we will list the exemptions that will be allowed. It will be the same set of exemptions that will apply in all the counties so there will be (consistent) enforcement,” Ige said. Ige’s announcement follows weeks of concerns of confusion among both residents and visitors, with the visitor industry asking for a legislative special session to make the rules clear. Some have raised concerns about the misdemeanor penalty for violators, which can result in fines up to $5,000 and the possibility of a permanent criminal record. Ige said today that it would be cumbersome to try to create a uniform mask mandate in a special session — and to reduce the penalties through legislation. He said that Hawaii now has the lowest rate of COVID-19 infections across the country.