Hawaii: Update on Second Amendment Legislation

Last week, the Hawaii House of Representatives passed House Bill 1902 with amendment HD2.  As amended, HB 1902, introduced by state Representative Cindy Evans (D-7), would integrate a no net loss policy for public hunting lands in Hawaii.  This legislation would require the state Board of Land and Natural Resources (BLNR) to preserve the aggregate amount of designated public hunting land available for use by sportsmen.  In the event that the BLNR reduces the amount of available public hunting land, they must make reasonable efforts to provide alternative land for hunting, of equal or greater amount and quality of wildlife habitat.  “No Net Loss” laws create a base-line acreage of state public land open to public hunting, guaranteeing that future generations have the same hunting opportunities that we enjoy today.

HB 1902 has been sent to the Hawaii Senate and is scheduled for a hearing in the Senate Water and Land Committee on Monday, March 17, at 1:15 p.m., in conference room 225 of the state Capitol.  Please contact members of the Senate Water and Land Committee and encourage them to support HB 1902.  Contact information for committee members can be found here.

Additionally, Senate Bill 2938, with amendment SD2, passed in the Hawaii Senate last week.  As amended, SB 2938, sponsored by state Senator Will Espero (D-19), would require each county to establish an online firearms registration process to be fully implemented by July 1, 2015.  This will help streamline the process by limiting the number of trips a gun owner would have to make to comply with current registration requirements, saving both time and money.  SB 2938 is a vast improvement over existing registration requirements and will make the entire process more efficient for residents of the Aloha State.

SB 2938 has been sent to the state House of Representatives and is scheduled for a hearing in the House Public Safety Committee this Thursday, March 13, at 10:00 a.m., in room 309 of the state Capitol.  Please contact members of the House Public Safety Committee and urge them to support SB 2938.  Contact information for committee members can be found here.