Hawaii Governor David Y. Ige: ATG News Release: Settlement Reached In Lawsuit Regarding COVID Response In Hawai'i State Correctional System

Press release from Hawaii Governor David Y. Ige:

Sep 7, 2021

HONOLULU – The parties to the litigation in Chatman v. Otani, have agreed to issue the following joint statement:

On September 2, 2021, Max N. Otani, Director of the State of Hawaii Department of Public Safety (“DPS”), and two classes of Hawaii inmates entered into an agreement to settle a class action lawsuit challenging DPS’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Both DPS and the representatives of the inmate class are satisfied that the settlement is fair, adequate, and reasonable.  Most notably, the terms of the Settlement Agreement and General Release provide for the establishment of a five-person Agreement Monitoring Panel (AMP). The AMP is comprised of experts who will serve as an advisory panel and provide non-binding, informed guidance and recommendations to aid DPS in its continuing efforts to implement and update its Pandemic Response Plan to the COVID-19 emergency.

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This press release was produced by Hawaii Governor David Y. Ige. The views expressed here are the author’s own.