THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

3196

THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2024

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

Relating to Firearms.

 

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 


     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that the State has some of the strongest gun safety laws in the nation, and in 2023 the State received an A-minus rating from the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence.  Additionally, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the State had the third lowest number of gun deaths per capita in the nation in 2021.  The legislature is committed to protect the safety and well-being of its citizens.  However, the fact that Hawaii is the only state with an assault weapons ban that fails to ban assault rifles and assault shotguns is inconsistent with this commitment.

     Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to:

     (1)  Amend the prohibition on certain assault weapons to include assault rifles, assault shotguns, .50 caliber rifles, and assault weapon attachments;

     (2)  Modernize the prohibition on assault pistols to include pistols with one or more prohibited features;

     (3)  Expand the ban on pistols with a detachable magazine with over a ten round capacity to any firearm with a detachable magazine with over a ten round capacity;

     (4)  Prohibit persons from bringing or causing to be brought into the State an assault rifle or assault shotgun;

     (5)  Prohibit the sale or transfer of an assault rifle or assault shotgun in the State, unless the assault rifle or assault shotgun is sold or transferred to an authorized individual; and

     (6)  Create exceptions for the acquisition and possession of prohibited firearms for members of law enforcement and the military.

     SECTION 2.  Section 134-1, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended as follows:

     1.  By adding seven new definitions to be appropriately inserted and to read:

     ""Antique firearm" shall have the same meaning as provided in title 18 United States Code section 921(a)(16).

     "Assault rifle" means:

     (1)  A semiautomatic centerfire rifle with an overall length less than thirty inches;

     (2)  A semiautomatic centerfire rifle that has a fixed magazine with the capacity to accept more than ten rounds, except for an attached tubular device designed to accept, and capable of operating only with, .22 caliber rimfire ammunition;

     (3)  A semiautomatic rifle that accepts a detachable magazine or that may be readily modified to accept a detachable magazine and has one or more of the following characteristics:

          (A)  A folding, telescoping, thumbhole, or detachable stock, or a stock that is otherwise foldable or adjustable in a manner that operates to reduce the length, size, or any dimension, or otherwise enhances the concealability of the weapon;

          (B)  A pistol grip;

          (C)  Any feature capable of functioning as a protruding grip that can be held by the non-trigger hand;

          (D)  A flash suppressor;

          (E)  A shroud that is attached to or partially or completely encircles the barrel and permits the shooter to hold the firearm with the second hand without being burned, but excluding a slide that encloses the barrel;

          (F)  A bayonet mount;

          (G)  A grenade launcher; or

          (H)  A threaded barrel capable of accepting a barrel extender, flash suppressor, forward hand grip, or silencer; or

     (4)  Any of the following rifles, copies, duplicates, variants, or altered facsimiles with the capabilities of any such weapon:

          (A)  All AK types, including:

               (i)  AK, AK47, AK47S, AK-74, AKM, AKS, ARM MAK90, MISR, NHM90, NHM91, SA85, SA93, Vector Arms AK-47, VEPR, WASR-10, and WUM;

              (ii)  IZHMASH Saiga AK;

             (iii)  MAADI AK47 and ARM;

              (iv)  Norinco 56S, 56S2, 84S, and 86S;

               (v)  Poly Technologies AK47 and AKS; and

              (vi)  SKS with a detachable magazine;

          (B)  All AR types, including:

               (i)  AR-10;

              (ii)  AR-15;

             (iii)  Alexander Arms Overmatch Plus 16;

              (iv)  Armalite M15 22LR Carbine;

               (v)  Armalite M15-T;

              (vi)  Barrett REC7;

             (vii)  Beretta AR-70;

            (viii)  Black Rain Ordnance Recon Scout;

              (ix)  Bushmaster ACR;

               (x)  Bushmaster Carbon 15;

              (xi)  Bushmaster MOE series;

             (xii)  Bushmaster XM15;

            (xiii)  Chiappa Firearms MFour rifles;

             (xiv)  Colt Match Target rifles;

              (xv)  CORE Rifle Systems CORE15 rifles;

             (xvi)  Daniel Defense M4A1 rifles;

            (xvii)  Devil Dog Arms 15 Series rifles;

           (xviii)  Diamondback DB15 rifles;

             (xix)  Doublestar AR rifles;

              (xx)  DPMS Tactical rifles;

             (xxi)  DSA Inc. ZM-4 Carbine;

            (xxii)  Heckler & Koch MR556;

           (xxiii)  High Standard HSA-15 rifles;

            (xxiv)  Jesse James Nomad AR-15 rifle;

             (xxv)  Knight's Armament SR-15;

            (xxvi)  Lancer L15 rifles;

           (xxvii)  MGI Hydra Series rifles;

          (xxviii)  Mossberg MMR Tactical rifles;

            (xxix)  Noreen Firearms BN 36 rifle;

             (xxx)  Olympic Arms;

            (xxxi)  POF USA P415;

           (xxxii)  Precision Firearms AR rifles;

          (xxxiii)  Remington R-15 rifles;

           (xxxiv)  Rhino Arms AR rifles;

            (xxxv)  Rock River Arms LAR-15 or Rock River Arms LAR-47;

           (xxxvi)  Sig Sauer SIG516 rifles and MCX rifles;

          (xxxvii)  Smith & Wesson M&P15 rifles;

          (xxxviii) Stag Arms AR rifles;

           (xxxix)  Sturm, Ruger & Co. SR556 and AR-556 rifles;

              (xl)  Uselton Arms Air-Lite M-4 rifles;

             (xli)  Windham Weaponry AR rifles;

            (xlii)  WMD Guns Big Beast; and

           (xliii)  Yankee Hill Machine Company, Inc. YHM-15 rifles;

          (C)  Barrett M107A1;

          (D)  Barret M82A1;

          (E)  Beretta CX4 Storm;

          (F)  Calico Liberty Series;

          (G)  CETME Sporter;

          (H)  Daewoo K-1, K-2, Max 1, Max 2, AR100, and AR 110C;

          (I)  Fabrique Nationale (FN) Herstal FAL, LAR, 22 FNC, 308 Match, L1A1 Sporter, PS90, SCAR, and FS2000;

          (J)  Feather Industries AT-9;

          (K)  Galil Model AR and Model ARM;

          (L)  Hi-Point Carbine;

          (M)  HK-91, HK-93, HK-94, HK-PSG-1, and HK USC;

          (N)  IWI TAVOR, Galil ACE rifle;

          (O)  Kel-Tec Sub-2000, SU-16, and RFB;

          (P)  SIG AMT, SIG PE-57, Sig Sauer SG 550, Sig Sauer SG 551, and SIG MCX;

          (Q)  Springfield Armory SAR-48;

          (R)  Steyr AUG;

          (S)  Sturm, Ruger & Co. Mini-14 Tactical Rifle M-14/20CF;

          (T)  All Thompson rifles, including:

               (i)  Thompson M1SB;

              (ii)  Thompson T1100D;

             (iii)  Thompson T150D;

              (iv)  Thompson T1B;

               (v)  Thompson T1B100D;

              (vi)  Thompson T1B50D;

             (vii)  Thompson T1BSB;

            (viii)  Thompson T1-C;

              (ix)  Thompson T1D;

               (x)  Thompson T1SB;

              (xi)  Thompson T5;

             (xii)  Thompson T5100D;

            (xiii)  Thompson TM1; and

             (xiv)  Thompson TM1C;

          (U)  UMAREX UZI rifle;

          (V)  UZI Mini Carbine, Uzi Model A Carbine, and UZI Model B Carbine;

          (W)  Valmet M62S, M71S, and M78;

          (X)  Vector Arms UZI Type;

          (Y)  Weaver Arms Nighthawk; and

          (Z)  Wilkinson Arms Linda Carbine;

but does not include a firearm that is an unserviceable firearm or has been made permanently inoperable, an antique firearm or a replica of an antique firearm, or a curio or relic as those terms are used in 18 United States Code section 921(a)(13) or 27 Code of Federal Regulations section 478.11, or a firearm that is manually operated by a bolt, pump, lever, or slide action.

     "Assault shotgun" means:

     (1)  A semiautomatic shotgun that has one or more of the following characteristics:

          (A)  Accepts a detachable magazine;

          (B)  Has a revolving cylinder;

          (C)  A pistol grip or thumbhold stock;

          (D)  Any feature capable of functioning as a protruding grip that can be held by the non-trigger hand;

          (E)  A folding or thumbhold stock;

          (F)  A grenade launcher; or

          (G)  A fixed magazine with the capacity to hold more than five rounds; or

     (2)  Any of the following shotguns, copies, duplicates, variants, or altered facsimiles with the capability of any such weapon:

          (A)  DERYA Anakon MC-1980, Anakon SD12;

          (B)  Doruk Lethal shotguns;

          (C)  Franchi LAW-12 and SPAS 12;

          (D)  All IZHMASH Saiga 12 types, including:

               (i)  IZHMASH Saiga 12;

              (ii)  IZHMASH Saiga 12S;

             (iii)  IZHMASH Saiga 12S EXP-01;

              (iv)  IZHMASH Saiga 12k;

               (v)  IZHMASH Saiga 12K-030; and

              (vi)  IZHMASH Saiga 12K-040 Taktika;

          (E)  Streetsweeper; and

          (F)  Striker 12,

but does not include a firearm that is an unserviceable firearm or has been made permanently inoperable, an antique firearm or a replica of an antique firearm, or a curio or relic as those terms are used in 18 United States Code section 921(a)(13) or 27 Code of Federal Regulations section 478.11, or a firearm that is manually operated by a bolt, pump, lever, or slide action.

     "Assault weapon attachment" means any device capable of being attached to a firearm that is specifically designed for making or converting a firearm into an assault pistol, assault rifle, or assault shotgun.

     "Detachable magazine" means an ammunition feeding device that may be removed from a firearm without disassembly of the firearm action, including an ammunition feeding device that may be readily removed from a firearm with the use of a bullet, cartridge, accessory, or other tool, or any other object that functions as a tool, including a bullet or cartridge.

     "Fixed magazine" means an ammunition feeding device that is permanently attached to a firearm, or contained in and not removable from a firearm, or that is otherwise not a detachable magazine, but does not include an attached tubular device designed to accept, and capable of operating only with, .22 caliber rimfire ammunition.

     ".50 caliber rifle" means a centerfire rifle capable of firing a .50 caliber cartridge. ".50 caliber rifle" does not include any antique firearm, any shotgun including a shotgun that has a rifle barrel, or any muzzle-loader which uses black powder for hunting or historical reenactments."

     2.  By amending the definition of "assault pistol" to read:

     ""Assault pistol" means [a]:

     (1)  A semiautomatic pistol that accepts a detachable magazine and has [two] one or more of the following characteristics:

     [(1)] (A)  An ammunition magazine that attaches to the pistol outside of the pistol grip;

     [(2)] (B)  A threaded barrel capable of accepting a barrel extender, flash suppressor, forward hand grip, or silencer;

     [(3)] (C)  A shroud that is attached to or partially or completely encircles the barrel and permits the shooter to hold the firearm with the second hand without being burned but excluding a slide that encloses the barrel;

     [(4)] (D)  A manufactured weight of fifty ounces or more when the pistol is unloaded;

     [(5)] (E)  A centerfire pistol with an overall length of twelve inches or more; [or

     (6)] (F)  It is a semiautomatic version of an automatic firearm;

          (G)  A second pistol grip or another feature capable of functioning as a protruding grip that can be held by the non-trigger hand; or

          (H)  A buffer tube, arm brace, or other part that protrudes horizontally behind the pistol grip and is designed or redesigned to allow or facilitate a firearm to be fired from the shoulder;

     (2)  A semiautomatic pistol that has a fixed magazine with the capacity to accept more than ten rounds; or

     (3)  Any of the following pistols, copies, duplicates, variants, or altered facsimiles with the capability of any such weapon:

          (A)  All AK types, including the following:

               (i)  Centurion 39 AK pistol;

              (ii)  CZ Scorpion pistol;

             (iii)  Draco AK-47 pistol;

              (iv)  HCR AK-47 pistol;

               (v)  IO Inc. Hellpup AK-47 pistol;

              (vi)  Krinkov pistol;

             (vii)  Mini Draco AK-47 pistol;

            (viii)  PAP M92 pistol; or

              (ix)  Yugo Krebs Krink pistol;

          (B)  All AR types, including the following:

               (i)  American Spirit AR-15 pistol;

              (ii)  Bushmaster Carbon 15 pistol;

             (iii)  Chiappa Firearms M4 Pistol GEN II;

              (iv)  CORE Rifle Systems CORE15 Roscoe pistol;

               (v)  Daniel Defense MK18 pistol;

              (vi)  DoubleStar Corporation AR pistol;

             (vii)  DPMS AR-15 pistol;

            (viii)  Jesse James Nomad AR-15 pistol;

              (ix)  Olympic Arms AR-15 pistol;

               (x)  Osprey Armament MK-18 pistol;

              (xi)  POF USA AR pistols;

             (xii)  Rock River Arms LAR 15 pistol; and

            (xiii)  Uselton Arms AR-Lite M-4 pistol;

          (C)  Calico pistols;

          (D)  DSA SA58 PKP FAL pistol;

          (E)  Encom MP-9 and MP-45;

          (F)  Heckler & Koch model SP-89 pistol;

          (G)  Intratec AB-10, TEC-22 Scorpion, TEC-9, and TEC-DC9;

          (H)  IWI Galil Ace pistol, UZI PRO pistol;

          (I)  Kel-Tec PLR 16 pistol;

          (J)  All MAC, including the following:

               (i)  MAC-10;

              (ii)  MAC-11;

             (iii)  Masterpiece Arms MPA A930 Mini Pistol, MPA460 Pistol, MPA Tactical Pistol, and MPA Mini Tactical Pistol;

              (iv)  Military Armament Corp. Ingram M-11; and

               (v)  Velocity Arms VMAC;

          (K)  Sig Saur P556 pistol;

          (L)  Sites Spectre;

          (M)  All Thompson types, including the following:

               (i)  Thompson TA510D; and

              (ii)  Thompson TA5; and

          (N)  All UZI types, including Micro-UZI,

but does not include a firearm that is an unserviceable firearm or has been made permanently inoperable, a firearm with a barrel sixteen or more inches in length, an antique [pistol as defined in this section,] firearm or a replica of an antique firearm, or a curio or relic as those terms are used in 18 United States Code section 921(a)(13) or 27 Code of Federal Regulations section 478.11."

     3.  By repealing the definition of "antique pistol or revolver".

     [""Antique pistol or revolver" means any pistol or revolver manufactured before 1899 and any replica thereof if it either is not designed or redesigned for using rimfire or conventional centerfire fixed ammunition or is designed or redesigned to use rimfire or conventional centerfire fixed ammunition that is no longer manufactured in the United States and is not readily available in the ordinary channels of commercial trade."]

     SECTION 3.  Section 134-4, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

     "§134-4  Transfer, possession of firearms.  (a)  No transfer of any rifle having a barrel length of sixteen inches or over or any shotgun having a barrel length of eighteen inches or over, whether usable or unusable, serviceable or unserviceable, modern or antique, registered under prior law or by a prior owner, or unregistered shall be made to any person under the age of eighteen years, except as provided by section 134-5.

     (b)  No person shall possess any firearm that is owned by another, regardless of whether the owner has consented to possession of the firearm, without a permit from the chief of police of the appropriate county, except as provided in subsection (c) and section 134-5.

     (c)  Any lawfully acquired rifle or shotgun may be lent to an adult for use within the State for a period not to exceed fifteen days without a permit; provided that where the rifle or shotgun is to be used outside of the State, the loan may be for a period not to exceed seventy-five days.

     (d)  No person shall intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly lend a firearm to any person who is prohibited from ownership, possession, or control of a firearm under section 134-7.

     (e)  After July 1, 1992, no person shall bring or cause to be brought into the State an assault pistol.  No assault pistol may be sold or transferred on or after July 1, 1992, to anyone within the State other than to a dealer licensed under section 134-32 or the chief of police of any county except that any person who obtains title by bequest or intestate succession to an assault pistol registered within the State shall, within ninety days, render the weapon permanently inoperable, sell or transfer the weapon to a licensed dealer or the chief of police of any county, or remove the weapon from the State.

     (f)  After July 8, 2024, except as provided by section 134‑8(e), no person shall bring or cause to be brought into the State an assault rifle, assault shotgun, .50 caliber rifle, or assault weapon attachment.  No assault rifle, assault shotgun, .50 caliber rifle, or assault weapon attachment shall be sold or transferred on or after July 8, 2024, to anyone within the State, other than to a dealer licensed under section 134-32 or the chief of police of any county, except as provided by section 134-8(e); provided that any person who obtains title by bequest or intestate succession to an assault rifle, assault shotgun, or .50 caliber rifle registered within the State shall, within ninety days, render the weapon permanently inoperable, sell or transfer the weapon to a licensed dealer of the chief of police of any county, or remove the weapon from the State."

     SECTION 4.  Section 134-8, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

     "§134-8  Ownership, etc., of automatic firearms, silencers, etc., prohibited; penalties.  (a)  The manufacture, possession, sale, barter, trade, gift, transfer, or acquisition of any of the following is prohibited:  assault pistols, except as provided by section 134-4(e); assault rifles, except as provided by section 134-4(f); assault shotguns, except as provided by section 134-4(f); .50 caliber rifles, except as provided by section 134-4(f); assault weapon attachments; automatic firearms; rifles with barrel lengths less than sixteen inches; shotguns with barrel lengths less than eighteen inches; cannons; mufflers, silencers, or devices for deadening or muffling the sound of discharged firearms; hand grenades, dynamite, blasting caps, bombs, or bombshells, or other explosives; or any type of ammunition or any projectile component thereof coated with teflon or any other similar coating designed primarily to enhance its capability to penetrate metal or pierce protective armor; and any type of ammunition or any projectile component thereof designed or intended to explode or segment upon impact with its target.

     This subsection shall not apply to a person's possession of an assault rifle, assault shotgun, or .50 caliber rifle registered to the person subject to the requirements of section 134-3.

     A person authorized under this subsection to possess an assault rifle, assault shotgun, or .50 caliber rifle shall possess the assault rifle, assault shotgun, or .50 caliber rifle only:

     (1)  On private property owned or immediately controlled by the person;

     (2)  On private property that is not open to the public with the express permission of the person who owns or immediately controls the property;

     (3)  While on the premises of a licensed firearms dealer or gunsmith for the purpose of lawful repair;

     (4)  While engaged in the legal use of the assault rifle, assault shotgun, or .50 caliber rifle at a properly licensed firing range or sport shooting competition venue; or

     (5)  While traveling to or from the locations listed in paragraphs (1) through (4); provided that the assault rifle, assault shotgun, or .50 caliber rifle is unloaded and enclosed in a case, firearm carrying box, shipping box, or other container.

     (b)  Any person who installs, removes, or alters a firearm part with the intent to convert the firearm to an automatic firearm shall be deemed to have manufactured an automatic firearm in violation of subsection (a).

     (c)  The manufacture, possession, sale, barter, trade, gift, transfer, or acquisition of detachable ammunition magazines with a capacity in excess of ten rounds [which] that are designed for or capable of use with [a pistol] any firearm is prohibited.  This subsection shall not apply to magazines originally designed to accept more than ten rounds of ammunition which have been modified to accept no more than ten rounds and which are not capable of being readily restored to a capacity of more than ten rounds.

     (d)  Any person violating subsection (a) or (b) shall be guilty of a class C felony and shall be imprisoned for a term of five years without probation.  Any person violating subsection (c) shall be guilty of a misdemeanor except when a detachable magazine prohibited under this section is possessed while inserted into a pistol in which case the person shall be guilty of a class C felony.

     (e)  The provisions of this section regarding the acquisition and possession of assault pistols, assault rifles, assault shotguns, .50 caliber rifles, assault weapon attachments, and detachable ammunition magazines with a capacity in excess of ten rounds shall not apply to:

     (1)  Law enforcement officers, as defined in section 701‑118;

     (2)  Federal, state, or local law enforcement agencies for the purpose of equipping the agency's law enforcement officers;

     (3)  Wardens, superintendents, and keepers of prisons, penitentiaries, jails, and other institutions for the detention of persons accused or convicted of an offense; and

     (4)  Members of the armed services or reserve forces of the United States or the Hawaii National Guard, while performing their official duties or while traveling to or from their places of duty."

     SECTION 5.  Section 134-15, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (b) to read as follows:

     "(b)  This section shall not apply to any pistol or revolver duly registered prior to July 1, 1975, pursuant to section 134-3 or to any antique [pistol or revolver.] firearm."

     SECTION 6.  This Act does not affect rights and duties that matured, penalties that were incurred, and proceedings that were begun before its effective date.

     SECTION 7.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 8.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

 

INTRODUCED BY:

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Report Title:

Firearms; Assault Rifles; Assault Shotguns; Assault Pistols; Assault Weapon Attachments; .50 Caliber Rifles; Magazine Capacity; Prohibition

 

Description:

Amends the prohibition on certain assault weapons to include assault rifles, assault shotguns, .50 caliber rifles, and assault weapon attachments.  Modernizes the prohibition on assault pistols to include pistols with one or more prohibited feature.  Expands the ban on pistols with a detachable magazine with over a ten round capacity to any firearm with a detachable magazine with over a ten round capacity.  Prohibits persons from bringing or causing to be brought into the State an assault rifle or assault shotgun.  Prohibits the sale or transfer of an assault rifle or assault shotgun in the State, unless the assault rifle or assault shotgun is sold or transferred to an authorized individual.  Creates exceptions for the acquisition and possession of prohibited firearms for members of law enforcement and the military.

 

 

 

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.