Trans-Pacific passengers arriving in Hawaii without negative COVID-19 test results will soon face a 10-day quarantine period, instead of the current 14 days.

Gov. David Ige is expected to sign his latest COVID-19 related emergency proclamation next week with the new quarantine rule.

“That change will … be part of that EP (emergency proclamation),” state Attorney General Clare Connors told members of the House committees on Labor & Tourism and Transportation today. “I believe the governor will issue that EP next week.”

When the length of the quarantine will be reduced from 14 days to 10 days remains uncertain.

Ige’s office said in an email to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser today that:

“The governor intends to decrease the mandatory quarantine period from 14 to 10 days, as recommended by the director of the Department of Health and the CDC (federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). It will take at least a week to make the technical modifications to the system so it can handle this change. The new quarantine period will be reflected in the next emergency proclamation. An effective date has not yet been determined.”

The change will apply to inbound passengers who took the required COVID-19 test 72 hours before boarding a flight but did not have their results upon landing in Hawaii.

County and state officials continue to discuss lifting restrictions on inter-island travel, but there are no plans to do so soon, said Adjutant Gen. Kenneth Hara, incident commander for Hawaii’s COVID-19 response.

“Safe Travels Hawaii has been a success,” Hara told the committees. “That’s the bottom line. … Hawaii is the best in the nation.”

Lt. Gov. Josh Green showed data to committee members that have Hawaii leading the country in several positive COVID-19 categories, including the lowest rate of cases per 100,000 people.

“The plan has been effective,” Green said.