As reported two weeks ago, House Bill 679 passed in the state House Public Safety and Military Affairs (PBM) Committee with no amendments. Thanks to the overwhelming support by NRA members, HB 679 has been scheduled for a hearing in the state House Judiciary Committee this Thursday, March 1, at 2:00 p.m. in House Conference Room 325 of the State Capitol.
Introduced by state Representative Ken Ito (D-48) and six other state representatives, HB 679 is an NRA-supported bill that would exempt firearms instructors certified by the National Rifle Association from liability for injury or damage caused by discharge of their firearms while providing training required to obtain a permit to acquire firearms. At present, volunteer instructors are vulnerable to Hawaii’s “absolute liability” law.
This is an important measure for not only NRA-certified instructors, but also Hawaii gun owners since once liability protection is established, it will open the door for those seeking to gain instructor status and create more opportunities for gun owners to meet the training standards.
Please call AND e-mail members of the state House Judiciary Committee TODAY and respectfully urge them to support HB 679. Their contact information can be found below.
House Judiciary Committee:
Representative Gilbert S. C. Keith-Agaran (D-9), Chairman
808-586-6210
repkeithagaran@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Representative Karl Rhoads (D-28), Vice Chairman
808-586-6180
reprhoads@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Representative Tom Brower (D-23)
808-586-8520
repbrower@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Representative Rida T. R. Cabanilla (D-42)
808-586-6080
repcabanilla@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Representative Mele Carroll (D-13)
808-586-6790
repcarroll@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Representative Denny Coffman (D-6)
808-586-9605
repcoffman@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Representative George R. Fontaine (R-11)
808-586-8525
repfontaine@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Representative Robert N. Herkes (D-5)
808-586-8400
repherkes@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Representative Ken Ito (D-48)
808-586-8470
repito@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Representative Sylvia Luke (D-26)
808-586-8530
repluke@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Representative Barbara C. Marumoto (R-19)
808-586-6310
repmarumoto@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Representative Angus L.K. McKelvey (D-10)
808-586-6160
repmckelvey@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Representative Joseph M. Souki (D-8)
808-586-9444
repsouki@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Representative Cynthia Thielen (R-50)
808-586-6480
repthielen@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Representative Clift Tsuji (D-3)
808-586-8480
reptsuji@Capitol.hawaii.gov