My replies, as follow:
SB600: "I OPPOSE this bill on the grounds that it is meaningless and will do nothing to stop crime. Are we to believe that politicians feel US Citizens 18~20 are old enough to vote and serve in our military, but not lawfully own firearms? What happens when a military serviceman, under 21, is stationed here from another state? Are they to relinquish their firearms to comply with an utterly useless law? The bill also proposes requiring a "permit number" to be engraved upon the receiver of firearms brought into the state; the presence of a number will do nothing to actually prevent crime. Furthermore, data from Fabio et. al. published in 2016 (Anthony Fabio of Pittsburgh's Graduate School of Public Health) found that a staggering 79% of criminals who used a firearm in the commission of their crime WERE NOT THE LAWFUL OWNER. Even the FBI's own Uniform Crime Report states that, in the case of rifles, an individual is more likely to be murdered with a blunt weapon, hands/feet, or stabbed. Are you going to propose a serial number be engraved on our hammers and kitchen knives next? Guns don't cause crime, and neither do law-abiding citizens. Please, focus on actually SOLVING problems instead of padding your résumés with useless laws that will do nothing more than criminalize good people and create a backlog for the already overworked police officers at the Firearms Unit."
SB621: "I OPPOSE SB621. I have looked over the text at the Hawaii Capitol website and fail to see how such a measure would PREVENT a crime from occurring. I can see, however, how law-abiding citizens will become criminals if this law were to pass. Seriously, this law would only give us 24 hours to report a loss? Would I be found guilty of non-compliance should my firearms be stolen while I'm on vacation? What if I don't feel safe having a "designee" file a report of the loss because I don't want people to know where I store my firearms or how many I possess? What about our kupuna, our elderly? If they should have the misfortune of experiencing a burglary or house fire, are they to be charged with a misdemeanor because the loss of a firearm wasn't reported in 24 hours? What constitutes as "Act of God" or "inability of a county police department to receive the report"? Who decides whether to lawful owner is "otherwise seriously physically, or mentally impaired" and unable to report the loss? This senate bill is poorly-written, and really will do little to prevent a crime from occurring." NOTE: Alins Sumang used a stolen F-150 to kill three people and the truck wasn't reported as stolen. If anyone decides to mention it, just bear in mind that it could get quoted and may be seen as being in poor taste.
SB1466: "I OPPOSE SB466. The Senate Bill tries to infer that our strict anti-gun laws are to be credited for our low firearm crime rate, but numerous studies show that there is little correlation between the two. The law is redundant: Federal law already requires that those deemed mentally incompetent must be reported, and Temporary Restraining Orders are already available for cases where household members feel threatened. While the bill has a provision to charge someone with a misdemeanor for falsely filing for a court order, it is still likely this proposed law will be wrongfully weaponized. A 2011 Stop Abusive and Violent Environments report found that courts issue 1.5 million false or trivial temporary restraining orders every year. In half of those cases, no physical violence actually occurs. This makes up about 70% of the total number of restraining order courts issue every year. The cost to the taxpayer in each case is approximately $2,000 to issue, serve, and adjudicate the order. (
https://www.aggressivelegalservices.com/false-allegations-of-domestic-violence/)"
SB1321: "I am writing in SUPPORT of SB1321. Hawaii gun owners are, by and large, law-abiding citizens. With the high cost of living seeing many of use working full-time or even two jobs, it isn't always easy for us to travel into downtown, battling both traffic and parking. For those wishing to obtain a handgun, the process is especially difficult: a trip to initiate the paperwork followed two weeks later by another to pick up the permit, and again to register the handgun. Those living on a fixed income or relying on public transportation will find this process especially arduous. The online registration system has only helped to marginally streamline the process, and hopes of opening a firearms unit at the Kapolei Police Station to serve those on the Ewa side of the island have pretty much disappeared.
We are not asking for a pass on registration; indeed, the proposed law clearly states that there is still a duty to register the firearm. We are only asking that this bill is passed to make it easier for us to comply with the law."