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HB138 • 2026

RELATING TO FIREARMS.

RELATING TO FIREARMS.

Children Crime Firearms
Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor
QUINLAN, EVSLIN, GARRETT, KILA, KITAGAWA, KUSCH, LA CHICA, LAMOSAO, MARTEN, MATAYOSHI, OLDS, TAKAYAMA, TAM
Last action
2025-12-08
Official status
Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary does not provide details about enforcement mechanisms.

Clarifying Rules for the Secure Storage of Firearms

This bill clarifies requirements for securely storing firearms to prevent minors from accessing them without permission, and it establishes felony penalties if a minor obtains an unsecured firearm resulting in injury or death.

What This Bill Does

  • Clarifies that people must store firearms securely where minors cannot easily access them without permission.
  • Establishes felony penalties for criminally negligent storage of a firearm when a minor obtains the firearm and it results in injury or death.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who own firearms
  • Minors (people under 18)

Terms To Know

Felony
A serious crime that can lead to a prison sentence of more than one year.
Minor
A person under the age of eighteen years old.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify what happens if someone violates these rules before the law takes effect.
  • It is unclear how this will be enforced or who will check compliance with these new storage requirements.

Bill History

  1. 2025-12-08 D

    Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.

  2. 2025-01-21 H

    Referred to JHA, referral sheet 1

  3. 2025-01-16 H

    Introduced and Pass First Reading.

  4. 2025-01-14 H

    Prefiled.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO FIREARMS.
Firearms; Secure Storage
Clarifies the requirements for the secure storage of firearms. Amends the offense of criminally negligent storage of a firearm to establish felony penalties for when a minor obtains an unsecured firearm and it results in injury or death.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HB138

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

138

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING
TO FIREARMS
.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

����
SECTION
1
.
�
Section 134-10.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended to read as follows:

����
"
�134-10.5
�
Storage
of firearm; responsibility with respect to minors.
�
(a)
�

No person shall store or keep any firearm [
on any premises
] under
the person's control if the person knows or reasonably should know that a minor
is likely to gain access to the firearm without [
the
] permission [
of
the parent or guardian of the minor
], unless the person:

����
(1)
�
Keeps the firearm in a securely locked
box or other container or in a location that a reasonable person would believe
to be secure; or

����
(2)
�
Carries the firearm on the person or
within such close proximity thereto that the person can readily retrieve and
use it as if it were carried on the person.

����
(b)
�
For purposes of this section,
"minor" means any person under the age of eighteen years."

����
SECTION

2
.
�
Section
707-714.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

����
"
�707-714.5
�
Criminally
negligent storage of a firearm.
�

(1)
�
A person commits the offense
of criminally negligent storage of a firearm if the person violates section
134-10.5 and a minor obtains the firearm.
�

[
For purposes of this section, "minor" means any person
under the age of eighteen years.
]

����
(2)
�
This section shall not apply if the minor
obtains the firearm as a result of an unlawful entry to any premises by any
person.

����
(3)
�
[
Criminally negligent storage of a firearm
is a misdemeanor.
]
Any person violating subsection (1) shall be guilty
of a misdemeanor; provided that it shall be a class C felony offense if the
minor obtains the firearm and it results in the injury of the minor or another
person; provided further that it shall be a class B felony offense if the minor
obtains the firearm and it results in the death of the minor or another person.

����
(4)
�
For purposes of this section,
"minor" means any person under the age of eighteen years.
"

����
SECTION 3.
�
This Act does not affect rights and duties
that matured, penalties that were incurred, and proceedings that were begun
before its effective date.

����
SECTION 4.
�
Statutory material to be repealed is
bracketed and stricken.
�
New statutory
material is underscored.

����
SECTION 5.
�
This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Firearms;
Secure Storage

Description:

Clarifies
the requirements for the secure storage of firearms.
�
Amends the offense of criminally negligent
storage of a firearm to establish felony penalties for when a minor obtains an
unsecured firearm and it results in injury or death.

The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.