STAND. COM. REP. NO. 678-20

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2020

RE: H.B. No. 2709

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Public Safety, Veterans, & Military Affairs and Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 2709 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE UNIFORM PROBATE CODE,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Require a personal representative of a decedent appointed under the Uniform Probate Code to notify the police department of the appropriate county of any and all firearms in an estate; and

(2) Require the police department to certify that all firearms in an estate are properly transferred or disposed of before the estate may close.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Mayor of Hawaii County and two individuals. Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from the National Rifle Association of America and eighteen individuals. Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Honolulu Police Department.

Your Committees find that this measure will help to close a gap in accounting for firearms that may be left behind when a person dies and will promote the proper disposal or transfer of those firearms.

Your Committees heard testimony from the Honolulu Police Department about their inability to certify the proper disposal or transfer of firearms in an estate unless they have knowledge of the existence of the firearms.

Accordingly, your Committees amended this measure to limit certification to those firearms that are registered and for which the department has otherwise received notification.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Public Safety, Veterans, & Military Affairs and Judiciary that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2709, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2709, H.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Public Safety, Veterans, & Military Affairs and Judiciary,

____________________________ CHRIS LEE, Chair

____________________________ GREGG TAKAYAMA, Chair