As reported last week, House Bill 679 passed in the state House Public Safety and Military Affairs (PBM) Committee with no amendments, and is now pending in the state House Judiciary Committee. For this bill to survive, it must get a hearing by next week!
Introduced by state Representative Ken Ito (D-48) and six other state representatives, HB 679 is an NRA-supported bill that would exempt firearms instructors certified by the National Rifle Association from liability for injury or damage caused by discharge of their firearms while providing training required to obtain a permit to acquire firearms. At present, volunteer instructors are vulnerable to Hawaii’s “absolute liability” law.
This is an important measure for not only NRA-certified instructors, but also Hawaii gun owners since once liability protection is established, it will open the door for those seeking to gain instructor status and create more opportunities for gun owners to meet the training standards.
Please call AND e-mail state House Judiciary Committee Chairman Gilbert Keith-Agaran (D-9) TODAY and request that he schedule HB 679 for a hearing. Additionally, please call AND e-mail members of the state House Judiciary Committee TODAY and respectfully urge them to support HB 679. Their contact information can be found below.
House Judiciary Committee:
Representative Gilbert S. C. Keith-Agaran (D-9), Chairman
808-586-6210
[email protected]
Representative Karl Rhoads (D-28), Vice Chairman
808-586-6180
[email protected]
Representative Tom Brower (D-23)
808-586-8520
[email protected]
Representative Rida T. R. Cabanilla (D-42)
808-586-6080
[email protected]
Representative Mele Carroll (D-13)
808-586-6790
[email protected]
Representative Denny Coffman (D-6)
808-586-9605
[email protected]
Representative George R. Fontaine (R-11)
808-586-8525
[email protected]
Representative Robert N. Herkes (D-5)
808-586-8400
[email protected]
Representative Ken Ito (D-48)
808-586-8470
[email protected]
Representative Sylvia Luke (D-26)
808-586-8530
[email protected]
Representative Barbara C. Marumoto (R-19)
808-586-6310
[email protected]
Representative Angus L.K. McKelvey (D-10)
808-586-6160
[email protected]
Representative Joseph M. Souki (D-8)
808-586-9444
[email protected]
Representative Cynthia Thielen (R-50)
808-586-6480
[email protected]
Representative Clift Tsuji (D-3)
808-586-8480
[email protected]