STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2544

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2635

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 2635 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FIREARMS AMMUNITION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Require the licensing of sellers of ammunition and for the identification and proper permitting of purchasers or possessors of ammunition; and

(2) Regulate ammunition in the same manner as firearms.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of the Mayor of the County of Hawaii and two individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the National Rifle Association of America, Hawaii Firearms Coalition, KMConcepts, and two hundred eighty-eight individuals.

Your Committee finds that Hawaii has strong gun safety laws in place, leading to the State being having one of the lowest gun related crimes in the nation. Your Committee further finds that requiring firearms permits is one of the most effective ways of minimizing unlawful possession and use of firearms. However, your Committee notes that while firearms are regulated by state law, there are no laws that regulate ammunition, which plays an equal role in the dangers of firearms. Your Committee believes that requiring licensure for sellers of ammunition will improve gun safety laws in the State, ultimately increasing the safety of the State's residents and visitors alike. This measure will require regulations on ammunitions, as there are on firearms, to provide a safe environment for residents and visitors of the State.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting language that would have prohibited any person from selling ammunition or shell casings for any firearm unless the purchaser first demonstrates that they are the registered owner of the firearm for which the ammunition or shell casings are to be purchased and all language relating to showing proof of firearm registration to purchase ammunition;

(2) Requiring a purchaser of ammunition or shell casings to show, along with a valid government identification card, a valid permit to acquire firearms, a handgun safety training course affidavit, or a hunter education card;

(3) Deleting language that authorized a registered owner to designate their spouse as an alternative on the gun registration only for the purposes of purchasing ammunition and language that required the spouse to have completed a background check and fingerprinting; and

(4) 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. 2635, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2635, 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