Gun Control

A recent report from the Hawaiʻi attorney general on firearm registrations in the state contained some puzzling numbers. The Conversation spoke with Hawaiʻi County Police Chief Benjamin Moszkowicz, who was also surprised by the report.

A ruling by Hawaiʻi’s high court saying that a man can be prosecuted for carrying a gun in public without a permit uses pop culture references in an apparent rebuke of a U.S. Supreme Court decision that expanded gun rights nationwide.

A U.S. judge is scheduled to consider whether to temporarily stop Hawaiʻi from enforcing a new state law that prohibits carrying a gun on beaches and other locations deemed sensitive. Three Maui residents are suing to block the measure.

Bill 169 passed through the Maui County Council on Tuesday. In public, air guns will need to be unloaded and in a container. Replica guns will also become illegal to brandish in public.

Beginning Saturday, a new law prohibits carrying a firearm on beaches, as well as banks and restaurants that serve alcohol. A lawsuit seeking to block the measure argues Hawaiʻi, which has long had some of the strictest gun laws in the U.S., is going too far.

Gov. Josh Green has signed a law mandating active shooter drills in Hawaiʻi schools. The Conversation's Catherine Cruz sat down with the Department of Education's Randy Tanaka and Erica Yamauchi from the Hawai‘i chapter of Moms Demand Action.

Gov. Josh Green has signed legislation that will allow more people to carry concealed firearms. At the same time, the measure prohibits people from taking guns to a wide range of places, including beaches, hospitals, stadiums, bars that serve alcohol and movie theaters.

Senate Bill 1230 is the state Legislature’s encompassing gun legislation measure, which would define where concealed carry firearms are not allowed and adds new provisions on concealed carry laws.

Starting May 1, the City and County of Honolulu's Bill 57 goes into effect, letting businesses choose if they will allow guns on their property with proper signage. The bill was signed into law by Mayor Rick Blangiardi on March 31.

Hawaiʻi residents across the state can carry a concealed gun on them in public, thanks to a U.S. Supreme Court ruling last summer. But rules for obtaining a concealed carry permit vary county by county, as do the restrictions on where those guns can go. Guest host Yunji de Nies led a round table about the topic.