The Hawaii Capitol Is Closed To The Public, But Some Lobbyists Still Have Entree While most members of the public can’t visit the State Capitol during the 2021 legislative session, the ability of some lobbyists to gain access raises questions of fairness.
Some Hawaii lawmakers have hosted in-person meetings with lobbyists, business leaders and government officials even while the State Capitol has been closed to the public for the 2021 legislative session.
The public has been barred from entering the Capitol building since March 2020, when Sen. Clarence Nishihara tested positive for COVID-19 after a trip to Las Vegas.
At the start of the session, constituents were again banned from entering the Capitol and visiting offices and committee rooms. Instead, they testified remotely to legislative committees. However some individuals, including registered lobbyists, have been able to gain an audience with lawmakers in their offices after scheduling appointments.
