CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 85

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: S.B. No. 401

S.D. 2

H.D. 1

C.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir and Madam:

Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 401, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FIREARMS,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Establish prohibitions on assault rifles, assault shotguns, and .50 caliber firearms; and

(2) Expand the ban on high-capacity detachable magazines.

Your Committee on Conference finds that due to increased gun violence in the State, additional restrictions on certain types of firearms and ammunition are necessary to promote public safety.

Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the effective date of the prohibitions on assault rifles, assault shotguns, and .50 caliber firearms from July 8, 2025, to January 1, 2026;

(2) Clarifying that if the legally registered owner of an assault rifle or assault shotgun transfers the weapon without remuneration, including by bequest or intestate succession, to the registered owner's spouse, reciprocal beneficiary, or lineal descendant, then the transferee may apply, within ninety days of receiving possession of the assault rifle or assault shotgun, to obtain a permit to acquire the weapon pursuant to section 134-2 and register the weapon in the transferee's name, unless the transferee is disqualified from the ownership, possession, or control of a firearm;

(3) Changing its effective date to January 1, 2026; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 401, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 401, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

____________________________ DAVID A. TARNAS Chair	____________________________ BRANDON J.C. ELEFANTE Chair
	____________________________ KARL RHOADS Co-Chair