SB 2734: Firearms; Gun Safety; .50 Caliber Firearms; Prohibitions

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 Hawaiʻi has some of the strongest gun safety laws in the nation and for many years has received an A or A-minus rating from the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence.  Additionally, Hawaiʻi had the lowest number of gun deaths per capita among the states in 2020 and continues to have one of the lowest rates according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  The legislature is committed to protecting the safety and well-being of residents of the State.

     The legislature further finds that fifty-caliber firearms are exceptionally powerful weapons that pose extraordinary risks to public safety, law enforcement personnel, and critical infrastructure.  "Caliber" is the measurement in inches of the internal width of a firearm's barrel and correspondingly the width of the bullet.  A fifty-caliber bullet is half an inch in size and capable of penetrating light armor, vehicles, and buildings from significant distances, making them particularly dangerous in both urban and rural environments.  The fact that Hawaiʻi still allows any firearm with the capacity to fire ammunition with a caliber of fifty or greater is inconsistent with its commitment to protect the safety and well-being of its residents.  The legislature also finds that the prohibition of firearms with the capacity to fire ammunition with a caliber of fifty or greater aligns with existing restrictions on other weapons that present similar risks to public safety.

     Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to prohibit any firearm with the capacity to fire ammunition of fifty caliber or higher, with exceptions for currently-owned fifty-caliber firearms and antique firearms.

     SECTION 2.  Section 134-8, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:

     "(a)  The manufacture, possession, sale, barter, trade, gift, transfer, or acquisition of any of the following shall be prohibited:  assault pistols, except as provided by section 134‑4(e); after July 1, 2026, any firearms with the capacity to fire ammunition of fifty caliber or higher; automatic firearms; rifles with barrel lengths less than sixteen inches; ghost guns; 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] 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.

     For the purposes of this subsection:

     "Firearm with the capacity to fire ammunition of fifty caliber or higher" does not include antique pistols, antique revolvers, or muzzleloaders.

     "Muzzleloaders" means any rifle, pistol, or shotgun that loads from the muzzle, or the open end of a weapon, from which the ammunition is discharged."

     SECTION 3.  This Act shall not prohibit possession of a firearm with the capacity to fire ammunition of fifty caliber or higher that was legally obtained prior to July 1, 2026.

     SECTION 4.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 5.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2026.

Report Title:

Firearms; Gun Safety; .50 Caliber Firearms; Prohibitions

Description:

After 7/1/2026, prohibits firearms with the capacity to fire ammunition of fifty caliber or higher with exceptions.

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