Everytown seems to think it's dead. Then again they are probably the most dishonest organization I've ever encountered.

Good news is they just lost all their federal funding through their NGO networks, and Act Blue is in serious trouble for money laundering and election fraud.

If Chris Marvin is back next year then Soros is going to have to foot the bill all on his own without taxpayer assistance.

so was it the amendment to grandfather the mags, carve-out for hunters and sustenance-hunting, that killed it?

amendment added too late for reconciliation?

May 2nd is the last day of session, "Adjournment Sine Die".

      

correct
HNN has an article
https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2025/05/01/hawaii-senators-narrowly-kill-firearms-bill/

so was it the amendment to grandfather the mags, carve-out for hunters and sustenance-hunting, that killed it?

amendment added too late for reconciliation?

May 2nd is the last day of session, "Adjournment Sine Die".

Besides president Senator Ron Kouchi, who were the other 12 to declare the amendment dead?

just got an email alert from the gun club:

The Senate voted 13-12 for an amended version of the bill.  This amended version goes back to the House for action.  The House has 48 hours to act on it.  The legislative session ends this Friday.  For those who oppose the bill, you should contact your state representative and make your opposition known.

that Karl Rhoads is one sneaky faka.

i guess it's not over till the fat lady sings?

Brenton Awa
Lynn DeCoite
Samantha DeCorte
Mike Gabbard
Donna Mercado Kim
Ronald D. Kouchi
Angus L.K. McKelvey
Michelle N. Kidani
Herbert M. “Tim” Richards III
Henry J.C. Aquino
Glenn Wakai
Joy A. San Buenaventura
Kurt Fevella

Besides president Senator Ron Kouchi, who were the other 12 to declare the amendment dead?

I'll believe it's dead when I see the dead body buried in a 6ft hole. There has just been so much lying and bs this year.

I'll believe it's dead when I see the dead body buried in a 6ft hole. There has just been so much lying and bs this year.

I'm not a SME on HI Legislative procedures, but I believe ...

For a bill to be heard, a hearing must be scheduled at least 6 days in advance and the date published on a web-accessible calendar.  In that time, testimony on the bill can be submitted.

Even if they stayed up the next 48 hours to pass it out of committee in both the House and Senate, there's no way to comply with the mandatory 6-day notice without a special session to extend this year's deadline.  That's a very expensive tactic for an amended bill with pretty much 50/50 support.

Even if they stayed up the next 48 hours to pass it out of committee in both the House and Senate, there's no way to comply with the mandatory 6-day notice without a special session to extend this year's deadline.  That's a very expensive tactic for an amended bill with pretty much 50/50 support.

I don’t think saving taxpayer money is something Democrats care about.

I don’t think saving taxpayer money is something Democrats care about.

True, but the only time i can recall a special session was when Gov Lingle needed to get the law changed to allow the Super Ferry environmental impact study to be accepted after the ferry started operating and not before. 

Time was of the essence then so the ferry operators could reduce their losses while waiting on the study to be approved.  i don't see that kind of urgency with this bill.  They've tried to introduce AW and mag bans before.  Next year's submission would be no different than all the others that never passed.

Oh, snap!

Hawaiʻi lawmakers plan special sessions
to address federal funding cuts

State lawmakers are blocking off three dates in the coming months
for a special legislative session to address federal funding cuts.

The Legislature has about three weeks left of its regular session.
But the magnitude of federal cuts and what it means for the state’s
budget is still unknown.

House Majority Leader Chris Todd said that’s why the special session
dates are in August, September and November — when more
information may be available to lawmakers.

https://www.hawaiipublicradio.org/local-news/2025-04-11/hawaii-lawmakers-special-session-to-address-federal-funding-cuts

Oh, snap!

Hawaiʻi lawmakers plan special sessions
to address federal funding cutshttps://www.hawaiipublicradio.org/local-news/2025-04-11/hawaii-lawmakers-special-session-to-address-federal-funding-cuts

Interesting how the article mentions lawmakers most likely needing to take another look at the tax codes, the income tax saving legislation they did last year, etc.

While not a peep about looking into streamlining hawaii's existing federal funded programs.

I'm sure there is a lot there that can also be evaluated.

Here's an update from Civil Beat, https://www.civilbeat.org/2025/04/in-last-minute-drama-legislature-shelves-bill-to-ban-assault-weapons/

I'm not a SME on HI Legislative procedures, but I believe ...

For a bill to be heard, a hearing must be scheduled at least 6 days in advance and the date published on a web-accessible calendar.  In that time, testimony on the bill can be submitted.

Even if they stayed up the next 48 hours to pass it out of committee in both the House and Senate, there's no way to comply with the mandatory 6-day notice without a special session to extend this year's deadline.  That's a very expensive tactic for an amended bill with pretty much 50/50 support.

Depending on the type of hearing, it could be 24 or 48 hours notice at minimum.  I've never seen a 6 day advance, but I've never read all the rules, so that could be possible.

They also can hold emergency sessions, but it's super rare.

I'll write a recap in another post.

BILL IS DEAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you for all those who took part in killing this bill. Every phone call and email and interaction matters.  From calls to senators, emails to them, spreading the word to other fellow 2A people, etc...it all added up.

Thanks to all that showed up to the rally on such short notice.  Had about 120 pro 2A people and about 10 anti 2a.  And the noticable thing is the anti 2A mostly looked all like retirees. Compared to our side we had younger to retirees in age ranges.  Why this matters, people have to take the day off from work or school if they're not retired. So it's hard to do so.

RECAP FOR THOSE WHO WANT A BREAKDOWN.  Going from memory so bare with me.

SB401 began only as a 50 cal ban in the senate. 

It passed all senate committees and even had Sen Awa vote for it.  This is very unusual for him because since he took office, he voted no on EVERY anti 2A bill.  He's learning politiics and voted to support this in order for his bill about foreigners not being allowed to buy land.  His vote would have killed this bill as Buenavenutra and Gabbard also voted no.

When the bill crossed to the house side, they added in all the extras about "assault weapons", shotguns, and mags.

The house had a similar bill like this, but it never got a hearing in the senate crossover side.  Prob because they knew it would die.

Once the changes were made by the house committee (Tarnas), it went to a house floor vote and passed.  This is the bad part. The HI Supreme Court ruled about "gut and replace" that a bill cannot be "substantially different".  Which this bill is.  Thus it totally by passed the committees in the senate side. See above about it dying if it went to committee.

Since there were changes, instead of the FULL senate committees re-hearing the bill, it instead only went to the committee heads ONLY for the senate.  Which are all anti 2A. Wakai, Rhodes, and Elefante are the main and majority votes.  This means that no testimony from the people are allowed to be submitted.  Your voice is now gone.

The new version was approved by those in charge and went again to floor only votes for both senate and house. 

The Senate side disagreed with the changes. For this to take place, 1 senator needs to suggest changes, followed by another to back them up.  Then the entire senate of 25 senators must vote and the changes need a 50% or more to pass.  This took place and it was 13 to 12 to support the changes. This essentially killed the bill.  As any changes need to be sent back to the committees to be addressed.  There is no time left for this.  Lots of Kauai and Maui senators voted for the changes (aka killing the bill).  They got tons of calls from people in their districts.

Senator Wakai crossed his party and voted for the changes (aka killing the bill).  Which is odd because he supported the same ban on rifle and mags as he was head of the senate commitee that had him, Rhodes, Elefante in it. (All the commitee heads).  I'm going to guess this, he voted for the change cause another back door deal was made for something else he needs.  So politics at play. Wakai has a history of being anti 2A and he knows his yes vote would kill the bill.

During this vote, there was an error on the 1st vote for this.  Awa stepped up and said we should go by the first vote since it's on youtube, which would have killed the bill. And theres a chance that a new vote may allow the vote to proceed as is without changes. Luckily, he was wrong and the new vote had the same results.

Now the bill is dead due to not having enough time to review the new changes.

We got super lucky on this.  We need everyone to submit test and contact their lawmakers, even if a bill doesn't apply to them.  We have seen this as an example. Someone doesn't submit testimony cause they own no 50 cal.  Now the bill that doesn't apply to them passes and changes are added in.  Even Rhodes stated "why should we add a grandfather for rifle mags, we don't have one for bump stocks". How many people didn't submit test years ago when they banned bump stocks because they don't own one. When they raised the age for rifles to 21, they used the "you need to be 21 to own a handgun".  1 anti 2a law is a justification for another.

We cannot give an inch to the anti 2A as they will forever move goal post and screw us.

Lawsuits cost money, take lots of time, and the deck is stacked against us. So until a lawsuit is won, the law would stay as is.  Which means everyone who doesn't comply is a criminal until a lawsuit is won.  So it's easier and cheaper to kill bills in the legislature than file a lawsuit.

this is incorrect
it was not committee heads only
it was a conference committee of house members and senate members who voted yes on the bill on their respective sides
they need to do a conference to come up with a bill that is ok for both sides
no public testimony is ever available for a conference committee
you can call/email your thoughts, but there is no provision for public testimony
it passed out of the conference committee with only one member voting nay
then it proceeded to a floor vote in the senate and a floor vote in the house
the senate amended the bill, which voided the house floor vote since the two sides were no longer the same
it had to go get discussed in conference committee again to go back the house and senate for floor votes
but there was no longer enough time for this, thus killing the bill...

Since there were changes, instead of the FULL senate committees re-hearing the bill, it instead only went to the committee heads ONLY for the senate.  Which are all anti 2A. Wakai, Rhodes, and Elefante are the main and majority votes.  This means that no testimony from the people are allowed to be submitted.  Your voice is now gone.

this is incorrect
it was not committee heads only
it was a conference committee of house members and senate members who voted yes on the bill on their respective sides
they need to do a conference to come up with a bill that is ok for both sides
no public testimony is ever available for a conference committee
you can call/email your thoughts, but there is no provision for public testimony
it passed out of the conference committee with only one member voting nay
then it proceeded to a floor vote in the senate and a floor vote in the house
the senate amended the bill, which voided the house floor vote since the two sides were no longer the same
it had to go get discussed in conference committee again to go back the house and senate for floor votes
but there was no longer enough time for this, thus killing the bill...

Thank you for fixing.

Per the Civic Beat article referenced above, "Technically, SB 401 remains alive for the 2026 session or if a special session is held later this year, as seems likely." Could we face this situation again this year if a special session is held?

heads

Thank you for fixing.