STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3338

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2635

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred S.B. No. 2635, S.D. 1, 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 a purchaser of ammunition to present to a seller a valid government issued identification card and a valid permit to acquire a firearm, a handgun safety training course affidavit, or a hunter education card;

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

(3) Regulate ammunition in the same manner that firearms are regulated.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Mayor of Hawai‘i County, Honolulu Police Department, and one individual. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Kaua‘i Police Department; Pu‘uloa Rifle and Pistol Club; Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, Inc.; Hawaii Rifle Association; Hawaii Firearms Coalition; and thirty-six individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from Bushido Arms and Ammunition, LLC.

Your Committee finds that Hawaii's strong gun safety laws have led to the lowest gun related crime rate in the nation. Your Committee further finds that while the sale, possession, and use of firearms are regulated by state law, there are few existing laws to regulate ammunition. This measure establishes regulations on ammunitions 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 required a purchaser of ammunition or shell casings to show, along with a valid government issued identification card, a valid permit to acquire firearms, a handgun safety training course affidavit, or a hunter education card;

(2) Inserting language that prohibits 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 language relating to showing proof of firearm registration to purchase ammunition;

(3) Allowing the police departments to designate on the firearm registration form whether the firearm can be converted to a different caliber or gauge and allowing indication for purchases of ammunition for each caliber or gauge of ammunition that the firearm may lawfully use per the registration form;

(4) Requiring that a scanned copy of the registration and identification be shown for online purchases;

(5) Allowing the police departments to provide duplicates of the registration document, or provide the same information in a format to be determined by the departments;

(6) Authorizing registered owners to designate a person as an alternate on the gun registration only for the purpose of purchasing ammunition;

(7) Requiring the Attorney General to update registration forms to effectuate this measure; and

(8) 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 Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2635, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2635, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary,

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KARL RHOADS, Chair