HB279 would tighten Hawaii’s firearms storage and transport laws by creating a new offense for the “place to keep” of firearm parts and by expanding the circumstances under which firearms and firearm parts may be carried only in an enclosed container. The bill defines “firearm parts” broadly to include components such as barrels, bolts, slides, frames, receivers, triggers, hammers, firing pins, cylinders, magazines, and other necessary parts, and defines “prohibited person” by reference to existing law. Under the bill, firearm parts generally must remain at a person’s residence, business, or sojourn, with limited exceptions for transport to and from repair shops, ranges, dealers, gun shows, training, or police stations.
The measure would amend Chapter 134 of the Hawaii Revised Statutes by adding a new section specifically regulating firearm parts, adding new statutory definitions, and revising existing “place to keep” provisions for loaded and unloaded firearms and pistols or revolvers. It would make possession or carrying of three or more firearm parts outside the permitted locations a misdemeanor, while making the same conduct by a felon or other prohibited person a class B felony with mandatory probation and a minimum term of imprisonment. The bill also increases penalties for certain existing firearm-storage offenses by adding mandatory incarceration terms, and it clarifies that possessing, installing, removing, or altering a firearm part with intent to convert a firearm to automatic operation constitutes manufacturing an automatic firearm.
The bill appears to be driven by a strong public-safety and anti-gun-violence rationale, with the text emphasizing ghost guns, youth shootings, repeat offenders, and a perceived enforcement gap in current law. The available committee context shows no recorded floor votes or transcript debate, but the House committee on JHA recommended deferral, indicating the measure did not advance at that stage. Overall, the bill’s framing suggests support from proponents of stricter firearms regulation, while the deferment suggests at least some legislative hesitation or unresolved concerns.
The main points of contention are likely to be the breadth of the new firearm-parts definition, the criminalization of possession of multiple parts even when not assembled into a working gun, and the mandatory minimum imprisonment provisions for felons and prohibited persons. Supporters would view these provisions as closing a loophole exploited by ghost-gun users and other unlawful possessors, while opponents may argue that the bill sweeps too broadly, could affect lawful transport or ownership of parts, and imposes harsh penalties for conduct short of possessing an operable firearm. The committee’s decision to defer suggests these policy and enforcement concerns may have been unresolved.