Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Public Safety & Military Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 2996 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to allow law-abiding citizens better protection by repealing the prohibition against the manufacture, possession, sale, or acquisition of detachable ammunition magazines for pistols with a capacity in excess of ten rounds.

The County of Kauai Office of the Prosecuting Attorney, Hawaii Rifle Association, and two concerned individuals supported this bill. The Department of the Attorney General and Honolulu Police Department opposed this bill.

Your Committee recognizes that while the intent of the existing prohibition on higher capacity magazines is laudable, it should be noted that only law-abiding citizens appear to comply with this law. In contrast, criminals, who do not have the same respect for the law, are able to gain access to higher capacity magazines and use them to commit crimes. Your Committee believes that law-abiding citizens should not be put at such comparative disadvantage and that repealing the prohibition on higher capacity magazines will improve the ability of law-abiding citizens to defend themselves and their families.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Public Safety & Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2996 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.