Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Transportation, Military Affairs, and Government Operations, to which was referred S.B. No. 1024 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to authorize counties to regulate operation of firing ranges and to establish criteria and procedures to be followed by range operators.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Police Department of the City and County of Honolulu. Testimony in opposition was submitted by the Hawaii Rifle Association, Lessons in Firearms Education, Pig Hunters of Hawaii, Big Island Gun Dogs, Big Island Gun Club, Inc., Hawaii Gun Club and Waikiki Gun Club, Inc., Magnum Firearms & Range, and five concerned citizens.

Your Committee finds that currently the State does not regulate the operation of firing ranges at all; the only "regulation" of ranges comes from the Occupational Safety & Health Administration, liability insurers, and internal procedures. Your Committee believes that the State should play some role in regulating firing ranges to ensure the public safety.

On the other hand, your Committee recognizes that there have been very few problems at firing ranges in Hawaii, and that for the most part, operators of firing ranges have acted very responsibly in making sure their patrons and the public are safe.

Your Committee had hoped to bring all of the parties together to strike a balance between the State's responsibility to ensure public safety and the right of firing range operators to be free from overregulation. Unfortunately, the parties were not available to meaningfully negotiate prior to the first lateral deadline. Therefore, your Committee has passed this measure with the minor amendments discussed below, so that the Legislature can further consider this issue.

Your Committee amended this measure to allow firing ranges to operate until 12 midnight, rather than 10:00 p.m. Your Committee sees no reason not to allow ranges to stay open to the public for an extra two hours.

Your Committee also made several technical, nonsubstantive amendments for purposes of clarity and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Transportation, Military Affairs, and Government Operations that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1024, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1024, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs.