Waikoloa couple sues Ige, Kim over quarantines

A married Waikoloa couple is suing the state, Gov. David Ige and Hawaii County Mayor Harry Kim, alleging Ige and Kim overextended and overstepped their emergency powers during the COVID-19 pandemic — including telling the husband he couldn’t sleep with his wife for 14 days because of the quarantine on travelers arriving from out of state.

The civil complaint, filed July 17 in Kona Circuit Court by Honolulu attorney James Hochberg on behalf of Richard Partal II and Kristine Partal and Richard Partal’s mother, Ellen Partal, alleges enforcement of the quarantine violated their civil rights.

Richard Partal and his mother were issued citations for allegedly violating the emergency quarantine.

“We’re asking that the court declare the citations that they have been served … unlawful, because the citations were issued in July, and if the governor’s powers expired May 3, the Legislature should have been making any new requirements, not the governor,” Hochberg said Tuesday. “And therefore, the Partals ought not to be subject to these criminal charges based on these unlawful orders.”

Read more: https://www.westhawaiitoday.com/2020/07/30/hawaii-news/waikoloa-couple-sues-ige-kim-over-quarantines/