STAND. COM. REP. NO. 521

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 1071

 

 

 

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committees on Tourism and International Affairs and Public Safety, Intergovernmental and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 1071 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE ACQUISITION OF FIREARMS BY LAWFUL PERMANENT RESIDENT ALIENS,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to clarify that the police may grant applications to acquire firearms to lawful permanent resident aliens.

 

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of the Attorney General, Honolulu Police Department, National Rifle Association, Hawaii Rifle Association, and twenty-six individuals.  Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from two individuals.  Your Committees received comments on this measure from one individual.

 

     Your Committees find that in the recent United States District Court decision of Fotoudis v. City and County of Honolulu et al. Judge Michael Seabright ruled the denial of a permit application to acquire firearms to a lawful permanent resident alien was in violation of the equal protection clause of the United States Constitution.  Therefore, your Committees find it prudent to amend the firearm permit application statute in accordance with the ruling.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Tourism and International Affairs and Public Safety, Intergovernmental and Military Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1071 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Labor.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Tourism and International Affairs and Public Safety, Intergovernmental and Military Affairs,

 

____________________________

WILL ESPERO, Chair

 

____________________________

GILBERT KAHELE, Chair