Opposition for S.B. No. 9, Relating to Firearms Insurance
Aloha,
I wish to express my disappointment that such a S.B. No. 9, Relating to Firearms Insurance has made its way into this year’s legislative session. As a lawful firearm owner, I feel that mandating a financial requirement (obtaining insurance) to lawfully exercise a constitutional right presents an ethical problem and only creates further “distrust” amongst the voters of Hawaii towards elected officials.
It is clear that our state constitution, as well as the constitution of the United States of America, doesn’t specify that the Right to Bear Arms should carry a financial requirement. There shouldn’t be a “price tag” in order to “allow” law-abiding citizens to exercise their 2nd Amendment Rights. In order to purchase a firearm, law-abiding individuals must go through a 14-Day waiting period, sign waivers for medical and mental health waivers, authorize criminal background checks, authorized being placed on a watch list alongside convicted criminals (Hawaii Rap Back), and make 3 individual trips to the main HPD branch. Through these current measures, we represent some of what is good about Hawaii.
Hawaii has enjoyed decades and decades of low violent crime incidents involving firearms. 2014 statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention clearly show that when compared to a national firearm-related mortality rate of 10.2 (per 100,000 residents), Hawaii’s rate was at 2.6. What is interesting is that California, who boasts more firearm regulations than the State of Hawaii, reached a firearm-related mortality rate of 7.4 in comparison to national rate of 10.2 in the same year (2014).
While many are quick to credit Hawaii’s stringent firearms regulations for such low death rates, one intangible factor that has to be taken into consideration is our “Aloha Spirit” and our unique local culture that still puts “ohana” and respect for others above all else. Therefore I feel it is unjust to continuously subject the lawful gun owners of Hawaii with draconian proposals aimed at potentially deterring honest people from exercising their right to the 2nd Amendment and self-defense by adding further financial requirements and procedures.
Again I deeply oppose S.B. No.9 and ask that the law-abiding citizens of Hawaii that lawfully exercise their 2nd Amendment Rights be free and clear from these continued attacks on our freedoms in the future.