STAND. COM. REP. NO. 642

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 124

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Public Safety and Intergovernmental and Military Affairs and Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 124 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PROHIBITION OF FIREARMS ON SCHOOL PROPERTY,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Prohibit the possession of firearms on school property, school buses, and at school-sponsored functions; and

(2) Exempt certain law enforcement officers and instructors and participants of certain educational or training programs.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Education; Honolulu Police Department; Hawaii Government Employees Association, AFSCME Local 152, AFL-CIO; Students Demand Action; Americans for Democratic Action Hawai‘i; and seven individuals. Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from thirty-one individuals. Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Hawai‘i State Public Library System, Hawaii Firearms Coalition, and one individual.

Your Committees find that Hawaii currently has no specific state statute to address firearms on school property. To deter or prosecute a person for carrying a firearm on school property, state officials mainly rely on federal laws, specifically the Gun-Free School Zones Act of 1990. However, the Gun-Free School Zones Act was passed more than two decades ago and does not apply to all persons licensed by a state to possess or conceal-carry a firearm on school property. Your Committees believe that Hawaii's firearm laws should be updated to strengthen the State's ability to prosecute persons who bring a firearm on school property. This measure will protect the safety of Hawaii's school children and staff by prohibiting the possession of firearms on school property, school buses, and at school-sponsored functions while exempting certain law enforcement officers and instructors and participants of certain educational or training programs.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Public Safety and Intergovernmental and Military Affairs and Education that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 124 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Public Safety and Intergovernmental and Military Affairs and Education,

________________________________ MICHELLE N. KIDANI, Chair

________________________________ GLENN WAKAI, Chair