Dear Senator
I am writing to you because I have concerns about SB69 that has been introduced. The bill is very vague and needs clarification. There are several parts of the bill that are left up for interpretation. What does extensive back check mean and what does it include? Also what does mental health concern mean? And who can determine that? Since these are very important parts of the bill shouldn't there be more details of what this means? When I go to the general practitioner and I need a specific diagnosis they send me to a specialist. Shouldn't a specialist determine the mental health concern? And what kind of mental health concern? And shouldn't there be some type of accountability for the specialist if they are wrong? Also, we need to spell out what kind of back ground check needs to be done. The law is very specific and is so for many reasons. So that people know what to expect of them and what standards they are being held to. It also protects the people enforcing the law because it gives them direction and standards that will hold up in court. This bill is very poorly written. I urge you to vote against this, not to rush into this, but to have it written correctly.
Sincerely
Senate Bill 69 started off as a Gun "Buyback” bill, but has evolved into a “Gun Safety and Education” bill, and by further amendments has morphed into a gun owner harassment/mental interrogation bill. SB 69 will be heard tomorrow, February 20, by the Senate Ways and Means Committee (WAM) at 9:45 AM. This bill, in its current state, will require fingerprinting and NICS checks in addition to the already existing registration requirement on ALL firearms brought into the state, and will allocate $200,000 to police departments to be used at their discretion for safety and training, gun "buybacks" or extensive background checks for mental health. Please contact members of the Senate WAM Committee TODAY and respectfully express your opposition to SB 69.
People who bring firearms into Hawaii from another state, even on a temporary basis, are already required to register their firearms within 72 hours. This bill now adds a fingerprinting AND a background check requirement on the owner in addition to the already burdensome registration requirement on such legally possessed firearms. These requirements are so onerous that if one acquired an antique firearm or an unusable or unserviceable firearm they would still have to undergo the entire background check, registration and fingerprinting process. Hunters and shooters beware, when traveling to Hawaii make sure to allocate at least one or two days to stand in line to register your firearm and undergo fingerprinting and a NICS check in addition to potential “extensive background checks for mental health concerns for certain individuals wishing to register guns,” whatever that means, for a firearm you already legally possess.
SB 69 leaves several things open to question or interpretation. For instance, it fails to define what constitutes an “extensive background check” or what constitutes a “mental health concern.” Without proper definitions, these requirements remain open for interpretation by the local authorities. Further, could these “extensive background checks” turn a five-day hunting or shooting trip to the islands into ten days of psychoanalysis by the local police sergeant? In summary, what can be known for sure is that this bill presents no viable solutions that would make improvements to Hawaii, but instead attacks law-abiding citizens who are choosing to exercise the right to own a firearm.
It is very important that you contact members of the Senate WAM Committee IMMEDIATELY and respectfully express your opposition to SB 69. Contact information for Committee members is provided below.
Senate Ways and Means Committee:
David Y. Ige (D-16), Chairman
808-586-6230
sendige@capitol.hawaii.gov
Michelle Kindani (D-18), Vice Chairman
808-586-7100
senkidani@capitol.hawaii.gov
Suzanne Chun Oakland (D-13)
808-586-6130
senchunoakland@capitol.hawaii.gov
Donovan Dela Cruz (D-22)
808-586-6090
sendelacruz@capitol.hawaii.gov
J. Kalani English (D-7)
808-587-7225
senenglish@capitol.hawaii.gov
Senator Will Espero (D-19)
(808) 586-6360
senespero@capitol.hawaii.gov
Gilbert Kahele (D-1)
808-586-6760
senkahele@capitol.hawaii.gov
Gilbert S.C. Keith-Agaran (D-5)
808-586-7344
senkeithagaran@capitol.hawaii.gov
Ronald Kouchi (D-8)
808-586-6030
senkouchi@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Russell Ruderman (D-2)
808-586-6890
senruderman@capitol.hawaii.gov
Laura Thielen (D-25)
808-587-8388
senthielen@capitol.hawaii.gov
Jill Tokuda (D-24)
808-587-7215
sentokuda@capitol.hawaii.gov
Senator Sam Slom (R-9)
(808) 586-8420
senslom@capitol.hawaii.gov