I wrote senator Gabbard back in November and asked him to submit a bill to repeal the ban on possession of "stun guns". I never heard back from him, which is curious, as he is usually the only legislator that responds to my emails, and he introduced a "shall issue" CCW bill and a handgun magazine limit of 17 rounds bill last year at my suggestion. On December 5, 2017 I sent the following email to every single legislator and heard back from zero. Since we know that we won't get any expansion of our highly restricted rights regarding firearms, this would be a test to see if any of them actually take their oath of office even slightly seriously (I doubt it), especially given that the Supreme Court of the United States has made a unanimous statement that such a ban is unconstitutional (https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/15pdf/14-10078_aplc.pdf). Do Hawaii legislators care what the Supreme Court says?

Legislator,

Please demonstrate that you are a legislator in the Hawaii legislature who appears to take seriously the sworn (or affirmed) oath of office to uphold both the Hawaii (Article I, Section 17) and U.S. Constitutions re the Second Amendment ("shall not be infringed", etc.). I wonder if you'd be willing to submit a bill in 2018 to remove/delete from HRS (Haw. Rev. Stat. § 134-16) the ban on "stun guns"/electric guns?

The unanimous per curiam decision rendered by the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) on March 21, 2016 in Caetano v. Massachusetts, wherein SCOTUS vacated the ruling of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court which had held that the Massachusetts ban on possession of stun guns was legal and constitutional. Citing District of Columbia v. Heller and McDonald v. City of Chicago, the Court began its opinion by stating that "the Second Amendment extends, prima facie, to all instruments that constitute bearable arms, even those that were not in existence at the time of the founding" and that "the Second Amendment right is fully applicable to the States".

Justice Samuel Alito wrote an opinion concurring in the judgment, in which he was joined by Justice Clarence Thomas, where he wrote that "[t]he reasoning of the Massachusetts court poses a grave threat to the fundamental right of self-defense". After concluding that the Massachusetts stun gun ban violates the Second Amendment, Justice Alito wrote: "if the fundamental right of self-defense does not protect Caetano, then the safety of all Americans is left to the mercy of state authorities who may be more concerned about disarming people than about keeping them safe". (I believe that last statement is unequivocally applicable to our situation here in Hawaii, and thus beyond ripe for change.)

Besides the charges being dropped and the conviction against Ms. Caetano in Massachusetts subsequently being invalidated/reversed to "not guilty", the state of New Jersey, which also had a ban on possession of electric guns, eliminated that law and now allows such possession by New Jersey residents.

Hawaii is one of only five (5) states that still ban the possession of electric guns, stun guns in particular. That ban is clearly unconstitutional, and there is no justification for it even if it weren't unconstitutional (i.e. the "public safety" argument is absurd).

Please introduce a simple bill that will simply strike the language from HRS that makes possession of stun guns by "ordinary citizens" (cops are already exempt) illegal in Hawaii.

thank you,

* * * * *

senbaker@Capitol.hawaii.gov,
senchang@Capitol.hawaii.gov,
sendelacruz@Capitol.hawaii.gov,
senenglish@Capitol.hawaii.gov,
senespero@Capitol.hawaii.gov,
sengabbard@Capitol.hawaii.gov,
sengaluteria@Capitol.hawaii.gov,
sengreen@Capitol.hawaii.gov,
senharimoto@Capitol.hawaii.gov,
senihara@Capitol.hawaii.gov,
seninouye@Capitol.hawaii.gov,
senkahele@Capitol.hawaii.gov,
senkeithagaran@Capitol.hawaii.gov,
senkidani@Capitol.hawaii.gov,
senkim@Capitol.hawaii.gov,
senkouchi@Capitol.hawaii.gov,
sennishihara@Capitol.hawaii.gov,
senrhoads@Capitol.hawaii.gov,
senriviere@Capitol.hawaii.gov,
senruderman@Capitol.hawaii.gov,
senshimabukuro@Capitol.hawaii.gov,
sentaniguchi@Capitol.hawaii.gov,
senthielen@Capitol.hawaii.gov,
sentokuda@Capitol.hawaii.gov,
senwakai@Capitol.hawaii.gov,




repaquino@Capitol.hawaii.gov,
repbelatti@Capitol.hawaii.gov,
repbrower@Capitol.hawaii.gov,
repcachola@Capitol.hawaii.gov,
repchoy@Capitol.hawaii.gov,
repcreagan@Capitol.hawaii.gov,
repcullen@Capitol.hawaii.gov,
repdecoite@Capitol.hawaii.gov,
repevans@Capitol.hawaii.gov,
repfukumoto@Capitol.hawaii.gov,
repgates@Capitol.hawaii.gov,
rephar@Capitol.hawaii.gov,
rephashem@Capitol.hawaii.gov,
repholt@Capitol.hawaii.gov,
repichiyama@Capitol.hawaii.gov,
reping@Capitol.hawaii.gov,
repito@Capitol.hawaii.gov,
repjohanson@Capitol.hawaii.gov,
repkeohokalole@Capitol.hawaii.gov,
repkobayashi@Capitol.hawaii.gov,
repkong@Capitol.hawaii.gov,
replearmont@Capitol.hawaii.gov
repclee@Capitol.hawaii.gov,
replopresti@Capitol.hawaii.gov,
replowen@Capitol.hawaii.gov,
repluke@Capitol.hawaii.gov,
repmatsumoto@Capitol.hawaii.gov,
repmcdermott@Capitol.hawaii.gov,
repmckelvey@Capitol.hawaii.gov,
repmizuno@Capitol.hawaii.gov,
repmorikawa@Capitol.hawaii.gov,
repnakamura@Capitol.hawaii.gov,
repnakashima@Capitol.hawaii.gov,
repnishimoto@Capitol.hawaii.gov,
repohno@Capitol.hawaii.gov,
reponishi@Capitol.hawaii.gov,
repquinlan@Capitol.hawaii.gov,
repsaiki@Capitol.hawaii.gov,
repsanbuenaventura@Capitol.hawaii.gov,
repsay@Capitol.hawaii.gov,
repsouki@Capitol.hawaii.gov, 
reptakayama@Capitol.hawaii.gov,
reptakumi@Capitol.hawaii.gov,
repthielen@Capitol.hawaii.gov,
reptodd@Capitol.hawaii.gov,
reptokioka@Capitol.hawaii.gov,
reptupola@Capitol.hawaii.gov,
repward@Capitol.hawaii.gov,
repwoodson@Capitol.hawaii.gov, 
repyamane@Capitol.hawaii.gov,
repyamashita@Capitol.hawaii.gov

I'll drop off your email and SCOTUS paper to Gabbards office and see what they say.

Something they taught in the legislative class is to add "REPLY REQUESTED" "PLEASE CALL" or something of that sort at the beginning of the subject line of your email.  Helps to emphasize your email above the hundreds of emails they get everyday.

Another tip is to keep it short and concise, and the 1st paragraph is important.  Should say something like "please submit a bill to amend HRS #### to remove the ban on stun guns for civilian use.  Stun guns are one method people may use for self defense.  SCOTUS has sided that it's a constitutional right in the Mass case...blah blah blah.  Please see attached references and contact me to discuss".   You get the drift.

This graphic emphasizes your point:



https://buy.taser.com/taser-state-requirements/

North Dakota, "permit required for ownership"? For firearms the state has no permit to acquire, no registration, no licensing, no background check for private sales, no mag limits, no NFA restrictions, and as far as concealed carry it is permitless/"constitutional" carry for state residents with valid state I.D.. As far as open carry: "Open carry of long guns is generally permitted. Open carry of a loaded handgun is permitted only by individuals with a valid concealed weapons license. Non permit holders may carry one hour before sunrise until one hour after sunset provided the firearm is unloaded and in plain sight.:" In other words exactly 180 degrees opposite of Hawaii,

But Tasers? Gotta get a permit to own. I guess that's what the legislators call "commonsense Taser safety regulation".

This graphic emphasizes your point:



https://buy.taser.com/taser-state-requirements/

Ridiculous. The less than lethal options available here is laughable.

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

I dropped off the paperwork today to Gabbards office.  He wasn't in.   I attached the graphic, scotus opinion, a news story, and copy of the HRS.  I didn't know your name so I told them to search their emails for stun gun and send you a message.

Honestly tasers are very difficult to use especially without training.   Should still be an option here especially without CCW.

Gabbard's office called me back saying that they were already working on introducing this bill.  They are also working on 2 other bills you requested.

I dropped off the paperwork today to Gabbards office.  He wasn't in.   I attached the graphic, scotus opinion, a news story, and copy of the HRS.  I didn't know your name so I told them to search their emails for stun gun and send you a message.

Hey zippz... thanks for your efforts. I'm glad I don't live on Oahu or I might succumb to going down there every day and hounding those legislators. See email I just received:

Aloha e [punaperson],
 
[zippz] stopped by Senator Gabbard’s today alerting us to this email correspondence from you. I help manage Senator Gabbard’s email box and apologize that I screwed up and didn’t forward your email to him.
 
Senator Gabbard would be happy to introduce those three pieces of legislation (stun gun prohibition repeal, concealed carry, and ammunition magazine). He’ll send you the drafts when we have them ready.
 
Thanks,
 
Rock Riggs, Committee Clerk
Office of Senator Mike Gabbard
Chair, Agriculture and Environment Committee
Hawai`i State Capitol, Room 201
415 S. Beretania St.
Honolulu, Hawai`i 96813
Tel:  808-586-6830
Fax:  808-586-6679
r.riggs@capitol.hawaii.gov

* * * * *

Edited to add: If people contact senator Gabbard's office via email or phone and thank him for introducing the bills I'm sure he'd appreciate knowing there are others who support his efforts. Thanks.

Gabbard's office called me back saying that they were already working on introducing this bill.  They are also working on 2 other bills you requested.

Only the repeal of the stun gun ban would be a new bill. Both the shall issue CCW and the handgun magazine limit change to 17 were introduced last session (I can't recall the bill numbers at the moment and don't have access to my computer files... There are thread on both of them on here somewhere) and all bills not acted upon are rolled over for the second year of the two-year sessions.  It infuriates me that one guy in the entire legislature can defeat any bill by simply not allowing any committee hearing/testimony. He don't like it, it ain't happening. And that's why we've got what we've got here in Hawaii. No recall. No referendum. No Initiative. No terms limits. (I believe the only state to have none of those provisions.) No carry for self-defense outside the home. You don't like it, lump it. We know for sure who is "in control" of the processes created to secure the natural/God-given rights with which we are all endowed: "That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed."

Edited to add:

https://2ahawaii.com/index.php?topic=26279.msg231009#msg231009

Sen.Gabbard's 17 Round Handgun Magazine Capacity Bill S.B. 213

* * * * *
https://2ahawaii.com/index.php?topic=26278.msg231054#msg231054

Sen. Gabbard's Shall Issue CCW Bill SB 212

I'm volunteering at my Reps office a couple times a week, so let me know if you need something done there.

I'm surprised CA has no restrictions on Tasers.

Why are tasers not safe in the hands of the general public?

Exhibit A:

Why are tasers not safe in the hands of the general public?

Exhibit A:

😂🤣😂🤣

Puna.  Write letters or call organizations to support the stun gun ban repeal.  Domestic violence, sex assault prevention, women and lgbt groups, corrections officers union, college groups, aclu, etc.   Also the gun stores that sell personal defense products like security equipment and young guns. Try taser first, they'll take the lead.

If anyone wants a face to face session, I can cover that.

I wrote to Gabbard thanking him for his help on the mag and taser bills.