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Senators adopt floor amendment to firearms bill, adding grandfathering and exemptions; amendment passes 13-12
Summary
The Hawaii Senate adopted Floor Amendment No. 15 to Senate Bill 401, adding statewide grandfathering and multiple exemptions while sending the bill back for final consideration after a 13–12 vote.
The Senate adopted Floor Amendment No. 15 to Senate Bill 401, the chamber's firearms measure, after a day of debate that split the body largely along urban–neighbor‑island and public‑safety lines.
Senator DeCoite introduced the amendment and said it "does 4 key things." According to her floor statement, the amendment (1) grandfathers lawfully acquired firearms and standard‑capacity magazines obtained before Jan. 1, 2026; (2) allows licensed firearms dealers to continue servicing, repairing, and transferring those grandfathered items; (3) preserves rights for subsistence hunters and conservation workers, calling out Article 12, Section 7 of the Hawaii Constitution; and (4) requires just compensation if the state forces surrender of legally owned firearms or magazines.
"This amendment keeps the public safety goals of the bill intact,"…
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