Mayor Rolls Back Gathering, Boating Restrictions on Big Island

Big Islanders can now congregate in larger numbers at sporting events than have been allowed in months.

Hawaiʻi County Mayor Mitch Roth signed the Mayor’s Emergency Rule No. 15 and an Eighth Supplementary Emergency Proclamation on Saturday, May 29. The emergency rule opens commercial boating capacity to 100%, increases attendance at sporting events to 75 persons outdoors and 25 indoors, and defers all travel policies to the state’s Safe Travels program.

“With a growing number of those in our community receiving their vaccines, we feel that it is now time to begin reopening our island and loosening restrictions safely,” said Mayor Mitch Roth. “Increasing gathering sizes for sporting events to ensure that parents have the opportunity to watch their keiki compete has been one of our biggest priorities.”

“Sports and other activities are invaluable to the health, safety, and sanity of many of our youth, and we look forward to promoting the participation of their parents at their games and practices,” Roth continued. “We also look forward to allowing our commercial boating activities to return to full capacity, as we now know that the potential for spread is severely lessened when outside.”

Both the Eighth Supplementary Emergency Proclamation and the Mayor’s COVID-19 Emergency Rule No. 15 were signed in concurrence with Governor Ige and went into effect immediately thereafter.