HISTORIC VICTORY FOR GUN SAFETY: Hawai‘i Senate Passes Legislation to Create Office of Gun Violence Prevention and Strengthen Firearm Storage 

HONOLULU — The Hawai‘i chapters of Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action, part of Everytown for Gun Safety’s grassroots network, issued the following  statement after lawmakers in the Senate passed HB 125 and HB 664. 

If signed into law by Governor Josh Green, HB 125 will require gun owners keep all firearms securely stored when not in use. HB 664 creates a statewide office to support the state’s gun violence prevention goals at multiple stages – from gun violence data collection that can inform policymaking, to evaluating the implementation of existing laws and  administering grants for community violence intervention. HB 664 will go to the conference committee first, while HB 125 now heads straight to the Governor’s desk. 

“Today we are one step closer to protecting our islands from senseless acts of gun violence,” said Terriann Mohideen, a volunteer with the Hawai’i chapter of Moms Demand Action. “Gun violence is a public health crisis that deserves to be tackled as one – by creating an office of gun violence prevention and strengthening secure storage laws, lawmakers are sending a clear message that now is the time to act. We urge Governor Josh Green to sign these bills as soon as they get to his desk and take bold, immediate steps to protect our communities and future generations from gun violence.” 

In addition to these legislative measures, lawmakers are also considering legislation (SB 401) to close a dangerous gap in Hawaiʻi law which only prohibits assault pistols but not assault weapons that are shotguns or rifles, such as AR-15s. Assault weapons fire high-velocity ammunition that inflicts far greater damage to the human body than a handgun round, and have been used in at least eight of the ten deadliest mass shootings in America. SB 401 just passed the House floor with bipartisan support, and now awaits passage through conference committee before heading to the full Senate for final consideration. 

In a poll last year, 75% of registered voters across Oʻahu and the neighbor islands — including 61% of gun owners — supported a ban on semiautomatic assault rifles. 80% of registered voters support a ban on high-capacity magazines greater than 10 rounds, which is also included in SB 401. You can read the full polling memo here. 

Hawai’i has one of the lowest rates of gun deaths—and among the strongest gun laws—in the country. In an average year, 64 people die by guns. With a rate of 4.4 deaths per 100,000 people, Hawai’i has the 2nd-lowest rate of gun deaths in the US. Gun violence costs Hawaii $901.4 million each year, of which $19.0 million is paid by taxpayers. More information on gun violence in Hawai’i is available here.