Hawaii: Mag Ban and Ammo Restrictions Eligible for Vote on Senate Floor

Tomorrow, March 3^rd, two anti-gun bills will be eligible for a vote on the Senate floor. Please click the “Take Action” button below to contact your state senator and express your opposition to SB 2519 and SB 2635.

Senate Bill 2519 SD 2 prohibits the manufacture, possession, sale, barter, trade, gift, transfer, or acquisition of magazines capable of holding more than ten rounds. Individuals may continue to possess any magazines acquired prior to the effective date, but they can only be transferred to a new owner through inheritance. These so called “high capacity” magazines are in fact standard equipment for commonly-owned firearms that many Americans legally and effectively use for an entire range of legitimate purposes, such as self-defense or competition. The bill recognizes the utility of these magazines by carving out an exemption for law enforcement, but will still violate the rights of ordinary citizens. Just last year, a 9^th Circuit opinion ruled that California's ban on standard capacity magazines was unconstitutional in Duncan v. Becerra. This case is currently under appeal. There is no reason to believe that a similar restriction would not suffer the same fate.

Senate Bill 2635 SD 2 restricts the purchase and possession of ammunition, and requires licensing for ammunition sellers. SB 2635 was amended by the Senate Judiciary Committee to include provisions found in HB 1902, and features a similar approach of over-regulation and bureaucratic involvement.

SB 2635 now requires anyone wishing to buy ammunition to provide proof of firearm registration for the particular caliber of purchase. The registered owner of a firearm may also officially designate an alternate who, after being subjected to fingerprinting and a background check, will be issued a permit to purchase ammunition for that firearm. Additionally, the bill attempts to deal with the common issue of firearms with the capacity to fire multiple calibers. It falls far short of actually addressing the issue however, instead giving discretion to the police department on whether or not they will include additional calibers on the permit, with no outlined process for appeal. Further, the bill still fails to consider many other real-world problems, such as long guns that were acquired prior to 1994, which under current law, are not required to be registered, and instances where a family member or friend who are not designated as an alternate may wish to purchase ammunition for a hunt or recreational outing. 

Of course, criminals will simply sidestep these new requirements while law-abiding gun owners and businesses are subject to yet more bureaucratic restrictions.

Again, please use the "Take Action" button above to contact your state Senator and ask them to OPPOSE SB 2519 and SB 2635. 

Continue to check your inbox and www.nraila.org for updates on issues impacting your Second Amendment rights and hunting heritage.