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SB2734
THE SENATE
S.B. NO.
2734
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026
STATE OF HAWAII
A BILL FOR AN ACT
relating
to firearms
.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
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SECTION
1
.
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The legislature finds that Hawai
ʻ
i
has some of the strongest gun safety laws in the nation and for many years has
received an A or A-minus rating from the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun
Violence.
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Additionally, Hawai
ʻ
i
had the lowest number of gun deaths per capita among the states in 2020 and
continues to have one of the lowest rates according to the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention.
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The legislature
is committed to protecting the safety and well-being of residents of the State.
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The
legislature further finds that fifty-caliber firearms are exceptionally
powerful weapons that pose extraordinary risks to public safety, law
enforcement personnel, and critical infrastructure.
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"Caliber" is the measurement in
inches of the internal width of a firearm's barrel and correspondingly the
width of the bullet.
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A fifty-caliber
bullet is half an inch in size and capable of penetrating light armor,
vehicles, and buildings from significant distances, making them particularly
dangerous in both urban and rural environments.
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The fact that Hawai
ʻ
i
still allows any firearm with the capacity to fire ammunition with a caliber of
fifty or greater is inconsistent with its commitment to protect the safety and
well-being of its residents.
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The
legislature also finds that the prohibition of firearms with the capacity to
fire ammunition with a caliber of fifty or greater aligns with existing
restrictions on other weapons that present similar risks to public safety.
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Accordingly,
the purpose of this Act is to prohibit any firearm with the capacity to fire
ammunition of fifty caliber or higher, with exceptions for currently-owned
fifty-caliber firearms and antique firearms.
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SECTION
2
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Section 134-8,
Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (a) to read as
follows:
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"
(a)
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The manufacture, possession, sale, barter,
trade, gift, transfer, or acquisition of any of the following shall be
prohibited:
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assault pistols, except as
provided by section 134‑4(e);
after July 1, 2026, any firearms with
the capacity to fire ammunition of fifty caliber or higher;
automatic
firearms; rifles with barrel lengths less than sixteen inches; ghost guns;
shotguns with barrel lengths less than eighteen inches; cannons; mufflers,
silencers, or devices for deadening or muffling the sound of discharged
firearms; hand grenades, dynamite, blasting caps, bombs, or bombshells, or
other explosives; or any type of ammunition or any projectile component thereof
coated with [
teflon
]
Teflon
or any other similar coating designed
primarily to enhance its capability to penetrate metal or pierce protective
armor; and any type of ammunition or any projectile component thereof designed
or intended to explode or segment upon impact with its target.
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For
the purposes of this subsection:
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"Firearm
with the capacity to fire ammunition of fifty caliber or higher" does not
include antique pistols, antique revolvers, or muzzleloaders.
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"Muzzleloaders"
means any rifle, pistol, or shotgun that loads from the muzzle, or the open end
of a weapon, from which the ammunition is discharged.
"
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SECTION
3.
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This Act shall not prohibit
possession of a firearm with the capacity to fire ammunition of fifty caliber
or higher that was legally obtained prior to July 1, 2026.
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SECTION
4.
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Statutory material to be repealed is
bracketed and stricken.
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New statutory
material is underscored.
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SECTION
5.
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This Act shall take effect on July 1,
2026.
INTRODUCED BY:
_____________________________
Report Title:
Firearms;
Gun Safety; .50 Caliber Firearms; Prohibitions
Description:
After
7/1/2026, prohibits firearms with the capacity to fire ammunition of fifty
caliber or higher with exceptions.
The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.