STAND. COM. REP. NO. 783-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: H.B. No. 2075

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 2075 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FIREARMS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Increase the time frame that a permit to acquire a firearm can be used from ten days to thirty days; and

(2) Eliminate physical inspection of firearms generally, except for firearms brought into the State, firearms involved in private sales or transfers, and firearms and firearm receivers with engraved or embedded registration numbers.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of the Attorney General, Hawai‘i Police Department, Honolulu Police Department, and one individual. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Honolulu County Republican Party, DC Project, Pu‘uloa Rifle and Pistol Club, Hawaii Firearms Coalition, Hawaii Rifle Association, and numerous individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from two individuals.

Your Committee finds that amendments to firearm permitting and registration requirements are advisable given the recent ruling by the United States District Court for the District of Hawaii, which found that Hawaii's ten-day expiration period for a permit to acquire a pistol or revolver and requirement that all firearms be physically inspected at the time of registration are unconstitutional. This measure addresses this ruling by providing people with adequate time to complete their firearm acquisitions and only requiring the physical inspection of firearms for narrow categories.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the effective date to January 1, 2222, to encourage further discussion; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2075, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2075, H.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs,

____________________________

MARK M. NAKASHIMA, Chair