STAND. COM. REP. NO. 431

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 621

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 621 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FIREARMS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Require a person to report the person's lost, stolen, or destroyed firearms to the appropriate county police department; and

(2) Establish penalties for failure to report.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Honolulu Police Department, O‘ahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, and three individual. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the National Rifle Association of America, Hawaii Leaders Shooters Legion, Waianae Hunting Association, and one hundred seventy-eight individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from one individual.

Your Committee finds that firearms permitting and registration requirements are meant to ensure that firearms remain in the possession of individuals who are properly vetted and meet the stringent requirements to own or possess firearms. Your Committee further finds that keeping firearms in the hands of authorized owners is vital to the public safety. Your Committee additionally finds that prompt reporting of lost or stolen firearms allows police officers to promptly investigate reports in a timely fashion.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Requiring persons found guilty of failure to report lost, stolen, or destroyed firearms and required to surrender all firearms and ammunition to the chief of police to do so within seven days of disqualification; and

(2) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 621, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 621, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs,

________________________________

CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair