STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2488

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 3054

       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. 3054 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FIREARM REGISTRATION,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to require that every person who permanently moves a firearm out of the State to contact the appropriate county police department to notify it that the firearm has been moved out of the State.

 

     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, and one hundred ninety-seven individuals.

 

     Your Committee finds that Hawaii is widely recognized for having some of the strictest gun safety laws.  This has allowed the State to enjoy having the lowest deaths by gun per capita in the nation.  However, your Committee finds that based on a recent study conducted by the Legislative Reference Bureau, there is no accurate data on the number of firearms currently in the State.  This is in part due to the State having no reporting mechanism for when a firearm is moved out of the State.  Your Committee believes that it is prudent to have accurate data regarding how many firearms are in the State to ensure the safety of residents and visitors in the State by holding all firearm holders accountable and having the means to hold firearm holders accountable.  This measure will help the State make firearms holders accountable by requiring any person who is permanently moving a firearm out of the State to notify the appropriate county police department within a certain timeframe.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Deleting language that would have made failure to notify the appropriate county police department that a registered firearm was permanently moved out of the State a petty misdemeanor; 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. 3054, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3054, 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