HR82

HOUSE RESOLUTION

REQUESTING THE LEGISLATIVE REFERENCE BUREAU TO CONDUCT A STUDY ON THE FEASIBILITY OF ESTABLISHING AN AMMUNITION CODING SYSTEM AND DATABASE IN HAWAII.

WHEREAS, the legislature finds that each year there are many homicides from senseless gun violence in America and that thirty percent of those crimes go unsolved; and

WHEREAS, there exists a new bullet identification technology that can create DNA for bullets, known as an ammunition coding system (ACS); and

WHEREAS, an Ammunition Coding System Database can be established which would identify suspects in handgun crimes; and

WHEREAS, ACS works by laser etching the back of each bullet with an alpha-numeric serial number, and upon purchase of the bullets the coding numbers would be connected to the purchaser in a statewide database; and

WHEREAS, the system will provide law enforcement with a valuable lead and starting point to quickly begin their investigations by allowing law enforcement personnel to identify the bullet code in cases where as little as twenty percent of the bullet base remains intact after recovery; and

WHEREAS, since bullets are designed to keep the base solid and in its original configuration, the likelihood of ACS codes remaining legible after recovery are very high with law enforcement testing already showing a ninety-nine percent success rate in identifying the ACS code after bullet recovery; and

WHEREAS, the legislature also finds that the ACS technology does not require any special training or equipment for law enforcement officials; and

WHEREAS, the legislature also finds that micro-laser engraved bullet and cartridge case code provides timely and efficient identification by simply using a good magnifying glass and eliminates subjectivity in identifying the buyer of the round; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED that the Twenty-fourth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2007, requests the Legislative Reference Bureau to conduct a study on the feasibility of establishing an Ammunition Coding System including a database for tracking bullets purchased in stores and to also make suggestions on possible legislation; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislative Reference Bureau is requested to report its findings to the Hawaii State Legislature no later than twenty days before the convening of the Regular Session of 2008; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this resolution be transmitted to the director of the Legislative Reference Bureau and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.R. NO.	82
TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2007
STATE OF HAWAII

	OFFERED BY:	_____________________________