I'm surprised folks haven't commented on "News Behind the News" (HawaiiReporter with Malia Zimmerman) video featuring Hawaii Rifle Association Dr Cooper and L.I.F.E instructor Kerry:
 "All about Second Amendment rights in Hawaii".
It can be seen at:     This link is provided on the Hawaii Rifle Association home page dated March 27th 2013.

Interesting comments on the latitude the police have on deciding which "mental health causes" can result in a denial for permit to acquire. In one instance, Dr Cooper reports a person was denied on mental health issues because there were health records indicating the person had a problem with wetting the bed at age 12.  Doesn't sound to dangerous or criminal to me!

I'm in favor of keeping guns out of the hands of felons, but some of the "cause" listed in the recent DA's Firearms Registration report 2012 may be questionable reasons to deny someone a permit to acquire.  At least in my opinion. Legal cause, well apparently, ...but reasonable, maybe not. I hope there is some appeal process if someone is denied a permit to acquire for certain causes. I'd hate to think someone needs to get a note from their Dr saying "Mr X's preteen bedwetting is no longer adversely affecting his ability to safely posses a firearm in Hawaii.  I believe he is now cured of this malady" 

In the DA's 2012 report, there's one denial cause listed as "admitted illegal drug use" (pg 10).  I wonder if this guy told the truth, and stated he had tried pot in high school back in the 1960's?  That's much different that admitting to being strung out on meth in 2011. If it's the first admission, that's about as unreasonable as being denied for bed wetting at age 12.  If it's the second, I can understand the denial.
Unreal. 

.

  Thanks

Interesting watch.  Glad it didn't portray gun owners or gun ownership in a negative way.  Also liked them addressing the issue of the tedious process of getting a firearm.  Thanks for sharing

It would have been difficult to portray firearms owners in a negative way with those two folks on it...and Malia is very pro 2A. 

Having a medical marijuana card, I believe, counts as illegal drug use. Legal in Hawaii, but illegal at the Federal level so you fail the NICS. From what I understand it remains that way until your card has been expired for a year. That could account for the drug use denial.

Having a medical marijuana card, I believe, counts as illegal drug use. Legal in Hawaii, but illegal at the Federal level so you fail the NICS. From what I understand it remains that way until your card has been expired for a year. That could account for the drug use denial.

Medical marijuana may not be the "cause" in this instance.  The 2012 report, on page 10, had some denials listed for medical marijuana as separate entries, and like you say, those are federal NICS nono's.  It's not stated in the report how many of the "one or more disqualifying factors" (also called cause) were caught at the NICS level, and how many were denied at the discretion of the police.  The other denial cause jumped out at me because it was not specific- simply "admitted illegal drug use". 

I'm wondering how much discretion the police have to deny based on their own "rules" verses federal rules.  Or if the police even have any rules.  Does the chief just get to decide what constitutes denial for their part of the background check?  That's why I compared "admitted illegal drug use" cause to the 12 year old bed wetter getting denied.  Dr Cooper mentions the bedwetter in the video, and I'm pretty sure that wasn't caught at NICS level (wasn't federal).  Dr Cooper didn't say the bedwetting denial took place in 2012, but sometime during his tenure.

Below is a snippet of page 10 table of the report.  Full report PDF at:  http://ag.hawaii.gov/cpja/files/2013/03/Firearm-Registrations-2012.pdf     It's a good read.

                                          Table 3: Descriptions of Firearm Permit Application Denials,
                                                                  State of Hawaii, 2012
[N = 227 Denials]                                                                                                                              #                    %*

accidental death felony                                                                                                                     1                      .4
adjudicated mental defective                                                                                                             1                      .4
admitted illegal drug use                                                                                                                   1                      .4
assault                                                                                                                                              29                  12.8
drug offense                                                                                                                                     17                    7.5
drug offense + medical marijuana patient                                                                                          6                    2.6
medical clearance needed                                                                                                                 7                    3.1
medical marijuana patient                                                                                                                  4                    1.8
mental health treatment                                                                                                                   10                    4.4
no response from California re status of marijuana arrest                                                                 1                       .4
substance abuse treatment                                                                                                                3                     1.3

If there are no "rules" the police must follow to determine "cause" beyond the NICS level, then this sure gives them lots of discretion.  Perhaps not a good thing to have that much power over the process.