Yesterday, Senate Bill 3196 and Senate Bill 2845 were passed in the Senate and now have been transmitted to the House for further consideration. SB 3196 and SB 2845 would place further restrictions on your Second Amendment Rights by expanding the existing "assault pistol" ban and implementing new age restrictions for ammunition. The bills are expected to be scheduled for policy hearings in the near future.
SB 3196 expands upon Hawaii’s existing “assault pistol” ban to now include additional firearms by instituting restrictions based on the name of the firearm and a “single feature” test. SB 3196 is poorly drafted and expansive in such a fashion that so-called “features” could be left open to interpretation. Given the recent ruling by the Hawaii Supreme Court, rebuking the Bruen decision, it’s likely to see restrictions viewed in the most unfavorable light for lawful gun owners. While the bill was amended in committee to remove the prohibition on so-called “assault rifles” and “assault shotguns”, SB 3196, if passed, would now also ban .50 caliber rifles and the sale or transfer of “assault weapon attachments”.
SB 2845 prohibits persons under the age of 21 from purchasing or possessing ammunition, with very limited exceptions. This legislation follows a similar tactic taken by other anti-gun states, pushing laws that discriminate against young adults from lawfully exercising their Second Amendment Rights.
Continue to check your inbox and the NRA-ILA website for updates concerning your Second Amendment Rights and hunting heritage.