SB2592 would require the Hawaii Department of the Attorney General to publish an annual public report on firearms beginning April 1, 2027, with data updates due each year from county police chiefs, the Department of Health, and other relevant agencies. The report would compile a broad set of firearm-related information, including permitting and licensing data, concealed carry licenses, firearm purchases, firearm-related deaths and injuries, missing or stolen firearms, storage violations, and firearms confiscated by law enforcement. It would also include incident-level demographic and contextual information, such as the type of firearm involved, whether it was legally owned, how it was obtained if not legally owned, and certain characteristics of operators and victims.
The bill is primarily a data collection and transparency measure rather than a direct regulatory change. It adds a new section to Chapter 134 of the Hawaii Revised Statutes and assigns the Attorney General’s department responsibility for compiling and publishing the report on its public website. It also creates a reporting obligation for local and state agencies to provide the necessary data by February 1 each year. The bill’s stated purpose is to help the state and the public evaluate the effectiveness of existing gun laws and identify areas needing legislative attention.
The general sentiment reflected in the available history is supportive, with the Senate Public Safety, Intergovernmental and Military Affairs Committee passing the bill with amendments by a 3-1 vote. The bill then advanced on second reading and was referred onward to the Judiciary and Ways and Means committees. The committee action suggests the measure was viewed as a useful public-safety and policy-analysis tool, though not unanimously.
The main points of contention likely center on the breadth and sensitivity of the data required. The bill calls for detailed information on firearm operators and victims, including age, gender, race or ethnicity, criminal history, and mental health or substance abuse issues, which may raise privacy, data-sharing, and civil liberties concerns. There may also be practical concerns about the burden on agencies to collect, standardize, and transmit the required information, as well as whether all requested data will be available or reliably reported. The delayed effective date of July 1, 2050 is unusual and may reflect a drafting issue or placeholder date, but the bill text as provided specifies that date.
If enacted, SB2592 would amend Chapter 134 of the Hawaii Revised Statutes by creating a new annual firearms reporting requirement administered by the Department of the Attorney General. It would not directly change firearm possession rules, but it would expand state reporting and interagency data-sharing obligations related to permits, licenses, sales, deaths, injuries, storage violations, ghost guns, and other firearm incidents. The measure would affect the Attorney General, county police departments, the Department of Health, and any other relevant agencies required to supply data.
The available legislative history indicates generally favorable sentiment toward the bill, at least in the Senate Public Safety, Intergovernmental and Military Affairs Committee, where it passed with amendments on a 3-1 vote. The bill’s movement to second reading and referral to JDC/WAM suggests it was considered viable and policy-relevant. No transcript excerpts are available, so the record does not show detailed debate, but the vote pattern implies some support for increased firearm data transparency alongside at least one dissenting view.
Likely areas of contention include the scope of the reporting mandate, the inclusion of sensitive personal information, and the administrative burden on law enforcement and health agencies. Opponents may object to collecting race, ethnicity, criminal history, and mental health or substance abuse information in firearm reports, while supporters are likely to emphasize the need for better data to assess gun violence and the effectiveness of existing laws. The requirement to report on ghost guns, unaccounted-for firearms, and storage compliance may also raise concerns about data quality and enforcement feasibility.