Last week, the Hawaii 2023 legislative session adjourned sine die. This means the regular legislative session is completed for the year. This year was a relatively slow session with the Sportsmen’s Alliance only reporting on two bills of concern to sportsmen.
Senate Bill 682, the bill to ban the sale of fur in Hawaii, passed both the House and Senate with amendments. Thankfully, the two chambers could not come up with a compromise prior to sine die and the bill is defeated for the year.
Unfortunately, Democratic Governor Josh Green signed House Bill 426, the bill that will cripple the firearm industry. HB 426 authorizes the Attorney General, any county attorney or public prosecutor, and others to sue firearms manufacturers for the violent acts of third parties. This bill is bad policy motivated by those who simply want to destroy the sporting community because they know that if the industry cannot engage in lawful commerce, hunters and sport shooters cannot hunt and shoot.
“I guess all that sunshine and blue water has folks blinded into not seeing that law-abiding residents are not the problem in Hawaii,” said Todd Adkins, vice president of government affairs at the Sportsmen’s Alliance. “Here is another very obvious step toward the final destruction of hunting and firearm ownership under the guise of public safety driven once again by anti-gun nonsense.”
Even though the 2023 legislative session is over, the Sportsmen’s Alliance will continue to monitor activities in the Aloha State as you never know when issues that sportsmen need to be aware of may arise.
About the Sportsmen’s Alliance: The Sportsmen’s Alliance protects and defends America’s wildlife conservation programs and the pursuits – hunting, fishing and trapping – that generate the money to pay for them. Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation is responsible for public education, legal defense and research. Its mission is accomplished through several distinct programs coordinated to provide the most complete defense capability possible. Stay connected to Sportsmen’s Alliance: Online, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
