House passes third reading on firearm features ban after extensive debate

The Hawaii House of Representatives debated and approved on third reading a bill to prohibit certain semiautomatic rifles and shotguns that accept detachable magazines and possess specified military-style features.

Representative Tarnas, speaking for the Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs committee, said the bill would bar semiautomatic rifles and shotguns that accept detachable magazines and have one or more listed military-style features such as pistol grips, threaded barrels, folding or telescoping stocks, and forward grips. He said the measure contains a grandfather clause allowing residents to keep firearms legally owned before the law takes effect and said many common hunting firearms, manually operated rifles, and most handguns would remain lawful.

Tarnas told the chamber that the committee's amendment drew text from a house bill previously read in the House and therefore complied with the Supreme Court guidance cited by opponents. He described the measure as a balance between Second Amendment rights and public safety.

Representatives expressed a range of views. Representative Rio Zoda said as a parent and former teacher he supported protections for children and noted firearms are a leading cause of death for U.S. children; he recorded a vote "with reservations." Representative Shimizu opposed the measure, arguing that the problem is rooted in trauma and social issues rather than firearm design. Representative Souza supported the bill and asked for committee chair remarks to be entered into the record; she also described a family shooting that killed a child in Hilo to emphasize the bill's intent to reduce similar tragedies.

Floor records indicate the House approved the listed senate bills on third reading that day. The House's majority vote announcement identified SB 401 SD2 HD1 as among the measures passed with some members recorded as voting no; subsequent minority-member roll-call announcements named several lawmakers who voted against SB 401, including Representatives Alcos, Garcia, Matsumoto, Muraoka, Shimizu and Parekh. Morikawa also announced that one majority member, Keila Kong, registered a "no" on the same measure.

Supporters said the bill preserves access for hunters and others who use semiautomatic firearms with fixed magazines or lacking the banned features, while opponents said restrictions would not address root causes of violence and could infringe on lawful gun ownership. The transcript shows wide engagement and multiple requests to insert remarks into the journal but does not record the final numeric tally in the excerpt.