As previously reported, multiple firearm-related bills were considered in numerous committees in past weeks. Thanks to your phone calls and emails to your legislators on the Senate Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental and Military Affairs, anti-gun Senate Bills 783 and 462 were deferred indefinitely.
Senate Bill 783, introduced by state Senator Maile Shimabukuro (D-21), sought to expand the list of prohibited possessors and disqualify individuals from the ownership, possession and control of firearms and ammunition. This egregious bill would cause you to lose your Second Amendment rights if you chose to invoke your Fourth Amendment rights. Senate Bill 783 has been deferred indefinitely.
Senate Bill 462, introduced by state Senator Gilbert Keith-Agaran (D-5), sought to require citizens denied a firearms permit to provide a sworn statement saying they have surrendered any firearms and ammunition in their possession and required police to collect all firearms and ammunition from denied individuals foregoing any opportunity to appeal prior to confiscation. Senate Bill 462 has been deferred indefinitely.
House Bill 837, sponsored by state Representative Karl Rhoads (D-29), would prohibit the selling and trading of ivory and rhinoceros horn. HB 837 was passed as amended to exempt firearms, knives and musical instruments with 20% or less component ivory. The bill is intended to prevent the illegal ivory trade but instead targets lawfully acquired products, effectively taking property without just compensation. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has historically maintained the position that most ivory in the U.S. has been legally imported and that its sale in the U.S. did not materially contribute to the illegal ivory trade.
Similar to HB 837, Senate Bill 674 was introduced by state Senator Will Espero (D-19) and is scheduled for decision making in the Senate Committee on Energy and Environment as well as the Senate Committee on Commerce and Consumer TODAY at 3:20 p.m., in conference room 225.
House Bill 1041, sponsored by state Representative Richard Onishi (D-3), was passed as amended out of the House Committee on Water and Land and referred to the House Committee on Judiciary. HB 1041 would create a hunting commission to advise the Governor and the Board of Land and Natural Resources (BLNR) on hunting-related issues. Hawaiian hunters need an effective hunting commission that will protect the rich heritage and traditions they enjoy.
Senate Bill 955, introduced by state Senator Sam Slom (R-9), was passed as amended out of the Senate Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental and Military Affairs and was referred to the Senate Committee on Judiciary and Labor. HB 955 provides protections for shooting range operators and individuals engaging in target shooting against burdensome retroactive regulations, lawsuits, and frivolous claims. Similar to SB 955, House Bill 50, sponsored by state Representative Ken Ito (D-49), was passed as amended out of the House Committee on Water and Land, and referred to the House Committee on Judiciary. HB 50 would protect established public and private shooting ranges from being the victim of errant nuisance lawsuits brought against them by neighbors or government agencies.
Today, the Hawaii Senate Committee on Tourism and International Affairs as well as the Senate Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental and Military Affairs will be holding a public hearing on Senate Bill 1071 at 1:15 p.m., in conference room 229. SB 1071, Sponsored by state Senator Donna Mercado Kim (D-14), will allow police to issue permits to acquire firearms to lawful permanent resident aliens. In a court ruling in 2014, Judge J. Michael Seabright of the US District Court for Hawaii found that permanent resident aliens are protected under the Second and Fourteenth Amendment in Fotoudas v. Kealoha et all. This ruling orders that counties accept applications for firearm permits from those who legally and permanently reside in Hawaii.
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