Hawaii: Trigger Modification Ban & Firearm Surrender Bill to be Considered on Tuesday

On Tuesday, February 27^th, the Hawaii state Senate Committee on Judiciary will hold a decision making hearing on Senate Bill 2046 and Senate Bill 2436.  The committee is only accepting written testimony for this hearing, so no oral testimony will be allowed.  It’s important that you contact committee members and urge them to OPPOSE both SB 2046 and SB 2436.  Click the “Take Action” button below to contact committee members.  In addition, please submit testimony to the committee through the Hawaii Legislature website.  In order to submit testimony, you will need to create an account.  For help creating an account and submitting testimony, click here.

Senate Bill 2046, sponsored by Senator Karl Rhoads (D-13), would make it a crime to own, manufacture, possess, sell, barter, trade, gift, transfer, or acquire a firearm accessory or any other device, part or combination of parts that is designed to or functions to accelerate the rate of fire of a semi-automatic firearm.  In addition, SB 2046 would also criminalize installing, removing, or altering parts of a firearm with the intent to accelerate the rate of fire.  The broad and overreaching provisions of SB 2046 could criminalize firearm modifications such as competition triggers, muzzle brakes, and ergonomic changes that are commonly done by law-abiding gun owners to make their firearms more suitable for self-defense, competition, hunting, or even overcoming disability.

Senate Bill 2436, sponsored by Senator Clarence Nishihara (D-17), would drastically shorten the time period a prohibited person, whether temporarily or permanently prohibited, has to comply with the current requirement to surrender their firearms from 30 days to 24 hours.  This expedited time period could subject an individual, who may have nothing more than allegations as the basis for the prohibition, to an unfettered search of their home and/or business within hours of being accused; all this without taking into account the many issues surrounding “surrender statutes” in general, including possible violations of an individual’s right against self-incrimination.

Again, please click the "Take Action" button above to contact committee members and urge them to OPPOSE these two bills in addition to submitting testimony through the Hawaii state Legislature website.  Continue to check your inbox and www.NRAILA.org for the latest updates on issues impacting your Second Amendment rights and hunting heritage in Hawaii.