HB995 amends Hawaii’s firearms reporting law for licenses to carry. It requires the Department of the Attorney General to publish an annual public report on its website that includes, if available, the number of carry-license applications, issuances, revocations, and denials, broken down by age, gender, race, and county of residence. The report must also include the specific reasons for each revocation and denial, analysis of denial patterns under the licensing standards, recommendations to address disparities in denial rates, the number of appeals and successful appeals, and the number of violations of the statute governing carry permits.
The bill also changes the deadline for county police chiefs to submit the data needed for the report, moving it from February 1 to March 31 each year. The measure is framed as a reporting and transparency bill rather than a substantive change to who may obtain a license to carry, but it expands the detail and timing of information that must be collected and published by state and county law enforcement agencies.
Impact
HB995 would amend section 134-9.6 of the Hawaii Revised Statutes, which governs annual reporting on licenses to carry firearms. It increases the reporting obligations of the Attorney General and county police chiefs by requiring more detailed demographic and outcome data, plus analysis of denial disparities and appeal outcomes, and it extends the county data submission deadline. The bill would affect state and county law enforcement administrative practices, public reporting, and the availability of firearm licensing data to the public.
Sentiment
The available voting history suggests generally favorable committee sentiment toward the bill. It passed the Senate Public Safety, Intergovernmental and Military Affairs Committee 3-1 and the Senate Judiciary Committee 4-1, both without amendment. No committee transcripts were provided, but the recorded votes indicate support for the bill’s transparency-focused approach, with some opposition remaining.
Contention
The main point of contention appears to be the scope and sensitivity of the required reporting. Supporters likely view the bill as improving transparency, accountability, and the ability to identify disparities in carry-license decisions, while opponents may be concerned about the administrative burden on county police and the Attorney General, as well as the collection and publication of demographic data tied to firearms licensing. The inclusion of race, gender, age, denial reasons, and disparity analysis suggests the bill may also raise privacy and policy concerns for those wary of expanded government tracking of permit applicants.