SB401 • 2026

RELATING TO FIREARMS.

Firearms

Active

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

Sponsor: RHOADS, CHANG, Wakai
Last action: 2026-04-02
Official status: Received notice of the discharge of all House Conferees (Hse. Com. No. 457).
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

RELATING TO FIREARMS.

What This Bill Does

RELATING TO FIREARMS.
Firearms; Gun Safety; Assault Rifles; Assault Shotguns; .50 Caliber Firearms; Detachable Magazines; Prohibition Establishes prohibitions on assault rifles, assault shotguns, and .50 caliber firearms.
Expands the ban on high-capacity detachable magazines.
Allows possession of an assault rifle, assault shotgun, or detachable magazine with a capacity greater than ten rounds when certain conditions are met.

Limits and Unknowns

This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

CD1_SFA15

Hawaii published version CD1_SFA15

Plain English: SB template SENATE FLOOR AMENDMENT FLOOR AMENDMENT NO.

SB template SENATE FLOOR AMENDMENT FLOOR AMENDMENT NO.
�� Date �� TO:�� SENATE Bill No.
401, S.D.
2, H.D.

CD1

Hawaii published version CD1

Plain English: SB401 CD1 THE SENATE S.B.

SB401 CD1 THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
401 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025 S.D.
2 STATE OF HAWAII H.D.

CD2

Hawaii published version CD2

Plain English: THE SENATE S.B.

THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
401 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025 S.D.
2 STATE OF HAWAII H.D.

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: SB401 HD1 THE SENATE S.B.

SB401 HD1 THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
401 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025 S.D.
2 STATE OF HAWAII H.D.

SD1

Hawaii published version SD1

Plain English: SB401 SD1 THE SENATE S.B.

SB401 SD1 THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
401 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025 S.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FIREARMS .

SD2

Hawaii published version SD2

Plain English: SB401 SD2 THE SENATE S.B.

SB401 SD2 THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
401 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025 S.D.
2 STATE OF HAWAII A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FIREARMS .

Bill History

2026-04-02 S
Received notice of the discharge of all House Conferees (Hse. Com. No. 457).
2026-04-01 H
House Conferee(s) discharged.
2026-03-20 H
Received notice of all Senate conferees being discharged (Sen. Com. No. 409).
2026-03-20 S
Senate Conferee(s) discharged.
2025-12-08 D
Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
2025-04-30 H
Recommitted to Conference committee as amended in CD 1 with none voting no and Representative(s) Cochran excused.
2025-04-30 S
Recommitted to Conference Committee.
2025-04-30 S
Report filed.
2025-04-30 S
Separated Committee Report.
2025-04-30 S
Floor amendment adopted as amended (CD 2) following Roll Call vote: Ayes, 13. Ayes(s) with reservations: none. Noes, 12 (Senator(s) Chang, Dela Cruz, Elefante, Fukunaga, Hashimoto, Ihara, Inouye, Kanuha, Keohokalole, Lee, C., Moriwaki, Rhoads). Excused, 0 (none).
2025-04-30 S
Floor Amendment No. 15 offered.
2025-04-24 H
Forty-eight (48) hours notice Wednesday, 04-30-25.
2025-04-24 H
Reported from Conference Committee (Conf Com. Rep. No. 85) as amended in (CD 1).
2025-04-24 S
48 Hrs. Notice (as amended CD 1) 04-30-25.
2025-04-24 S
Reported from Conference Committee as amended CD 1 (Conf. Com. Rep. No. 85).
2025-04-24 H
The Conference Committee recommends that the measure be Passed, with Amendments. The votes were as follows: 2 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Todd; Ayes with reservations: none; 1 Noes: Representative(s) Garcia; and 0 Excused: none.
2025-04-24 S
The Conference committee recommends that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes of the Senate Conference Managers were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Elefante, Rhoads, Chang, Wakai; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.
2025-04-24 S
Received notice of change in conferees (Hse. Com. No. 811).
2025-04-24 S
Received notice of appointment of House conferees (Hse. Com. No. 808).
2025-04-23 H
House Conferees Discharged: Representative Poepoe discharged as Conferee.
2025-04-23 S
Conference committee meeting scheduled for 04-24-25 4:30PM; Conference Room 325.
2025-04-23 H
House Conferees Appointed: Tarnas Chair; Poepoe, Todd, Garcia.
2025-04-22 H
Received notice of Senate conferees (Sen. Com. No. 863).
2025-04-22 S
Senate Conferees Appointed: Elefante Chair; Rhoads Co-Chair; Chang, Wakai.
2025-04-08 H
Received notice of disagreement (Sen. Com. No. 774).
2025-04-08 S
Senate disagrees with House amendments.
2025-04-08 S
Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 578).
2025-04-04 H
Passed Third Reading with Representative(s) Reyes Oda voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Alcos, Garcia, Kila, Kong, Matsumoto, Muraoka, Pierick, Shimizu voting no (8) and Representative(s) Cochran, Kapela, Marten excused (3). Transmitted to Senate.
2025-04-02 H
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1; placed on the calendar for Third Reading with Representative(s) Kila, Reyes Oda voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Alcos, Garcia, Kong, Matsumoto, Muraoka, Pierick, Shimizu, Souza voting no (8) and Representative(s) Cochran excused (1).
2025-04-02 H
Reported from JHA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1750) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and placement on the calendar for Third Reading.
2025-03-13 H
The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 8 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Poepoe, Belatti, Hashem, Kahaloa, Perruso, Takayama, Todd; Ayes with reservations: none; 1 Noes: Representative(s) Shimizu; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Cochran, Garcia.
2025-03-11 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by JHA on Thursday, 03-13-25 2:00PM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2025-03-06 H
Referred to JHA, referral sheet 19
2025-03-06 H
Pass First Reading
2025-03-04 H
Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 150) in amended form (SD 2).
2025-03-04 S
Report Adopted; Passed Third Reading, as amended (SD 2). Ayes, 20; Aye(s) with reservations: Senator(s) Aquino, McKelvey, Richards, San Buenaventura. Noes, 5 (Senator(s) Awa, DeCoite, DeCorte, Fevella, Gabbard). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.
2025-02-28 S
48 Hrs. Notice 03-04-25.
2025-02-28 S
Reported from JDC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1058) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading, as amended (SD 2).
2025-02-27 S
The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in JDC were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Rhoads, Chang, Awa; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 2 No(es): Senator(s) Gabbard, San Buenaventura; and 0 Excused: none.
2025-02-24 S
The committee(s) on JDC will hold a public decision making on 02-27-25 10:01AM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference.
2025-02-14 S
Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to JDC.
2025-02-14 S
Reported from PSM (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 552) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to JDC.
2025-02-12 S
The committee(s) on PSM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in PSM were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Elefante, Wakai, Fukunaga, Rhoads; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 1 No(es): Senator(s) DeCorte; and 0 Excused: none.
2025-02-07 S
The committee(s) on PSM has scheduled a public hearing on 02-12-25 3:00PM; Conference Room 225 & Videoconference.
2025-01-21 S
Referred to PSM, JDC.
2025-01-15 S
Introduced and passed First Reading.
2025-01-14 S
Pending Introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO FIREARMS.
Firearms; Gun Safety; Assault Rifles; Assault Shotguns; .50 Caliber Firearms; Detachable Magazines; Prohibition
Establishes prohibitions on assault rifles, assault shotguns, and .50 caliber firearms. Expands the ban on high-capacity detachable magazines. Allows possession of an assault rifle, assault shotgun, or detachable magazine with a capacity greater than ten rounds when certain conditions are met. Effective 1/1/2026. (CD2)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

SB401

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

401

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.
�
The
legislature finds that Hawai
�
i has some of the strongest
gun safety laws in the nation, and in 2023 Hawai
�
i
received an A-minus rating from the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence.

�
Additionally, Hawai
�
i
had the lowest number of gun deaths per capita among the states in 2020, according
to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
�
The legislature is committed to protecting the
safety and well-being of its citizens.
�
The
fact that Hawai
�
i still allows any firearm
or rifle with the capacity to fire ammunition of fifty caliber or higher is inconsistent
with this commitment.

����
The purpose of this Act is to p
rohibit

any firearm or rifle with the capacity to fire
ammunition of fifty caliber or higher
.

����
SECTION
2
.
�
Section 134-8, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:

����
"
(a)
�
The manufacture, possession, sale, barter,
trade, gift, transfer, or acquisition of any of the following is
prohibited:
�
assault pistols, except as
provided by section 134‑4(e); automatic firearms; rifles with barrel
lengths less than sixteen inches; shotguns with barrel lengths less than
eighteen inches;
any firearm or rifle with the capacity to fire
ammunition of fifty caliber or higher
;

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.

����
For purposes of this subsection:

����
"Firearm or rifle with the capacity
to fire ammunition of fifty caliber of higher" does not include antique
pistols, antique revolvers, or muzzleloaders.

����
"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.
"

����
SECTION 3.
�

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

����
SECTION 4.
�

This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Firearms;
Gun Safety; High Caliber Guns

Description:

Includes
any firearm or rifle with the capacity to fire ammunition of fifty caliber or
higher, excluding antique pistols and revolvers, and muzzleloaders, in the list
of prohibited weapons.

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