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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020-02-04 Letter to Chris Lee, Joy San Buenaventura, Gregg Takayama, Cedric Gates. HB 1733, HB 2744, HB 2631, HB 1615, HB 2736 -0114.,f/1441;1'• Roy Takemoto ‘,1.4. Managing Director Harry Kim mss Mayor Id ' 'µ► Barbara J.Kossow Deputy Managing Director County of Hawai'i Office of the Mayor 25 Aupuni Street,Suite 2603 • Hilo,Hawaii 96720 • (808)961-8211 • Fax(808)961-6553 KONA: 74-5044 Ane Keohokalole Hwy.,Bldg C • Kailua-Kona,Hawai'i 96740 (808)323-4444 • Fax(808)323-4440 February 4, 2020 Representative Chris Lee, Chair Representative Joy A. San Buenaventura, Vice Chair Committee on Judiciary Representative Gregg Takayama, Chair Representative Cedric Asuega Gates, Vice Chair Committee on Public Safety, Veterans, & Military Affairs Hawaii State Legislature Dear Chairs Lee and Takayama, Vice-Chairs San Buenaventura and Gates, and Committee members: RE: HB 1733 Relating to Firearms HB 2744 Relating to Gun Violence Prevention HB 2631 Relating to Mental Health HB 1615 Relating to Firearms HB 2736 Relating to Firearms Ammunition The First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States provides for freedom of religion, speech, and press; and the right to peaceably assemble and to petition the government. Yet, as fundamental and sacrosanct as those values are to America, few if any would argue that those freedoms are not subject to reasonable restrictions (take the cliché of "yelling `Fire' in a crowded theater"). Similarly, the Second Amendment guarantees the right to keep and bear arms. This right, too, must be subject to reasonable restrictions, or else we would each be able to have our own machine gun mounted on our mantelpiece or strapped over our shoulders. So the question comes down to what is reasonable. That should be determined by a free people acting through their elected representatives, in this case our State Legislature. And given the times in which we live, and the carnage that we have witnessed both in our own state and across the country, I thank you for taking on the divisive but crucial task of deciding what reasonable restrictions might be. You have before you today four bills that impact the right to keep and bear arms: HB 1733 would prohibit the assembly of a gun that would not have a serial number(a "ghost gun") and mandate a serial number for firearms brought into Hawaii that do not already have one. County of Hawai'i is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer. HB 1733 Relating to Firearms HB 2744 Relating to Gun Violence Prevention HB 2631 Relating to Mental Health HB 1615 Relating to Firearms HB 2736 Relating to Firearms Ammunition February 4, 2020 Page 2 HB 2631 calls for a review of mental health records when issuing a permit to acquire a firearm. While this provision might require some elaboration as to whether it would apply to otherwise confidential medical records, the idea of keeping guns out of the hands of those with mental illness has been endorsed both by gun advocates and opponents. HB 1615 would prohibit possession of a loaded firearm while intoxicated. Is this a difficult issue on which to find common ground? Fourth, HB 2736 would regulate ammunition the same way firearms are regulated, and require the licensing of sellers of ammunition. It would seem that this proposal would be particularly valuable in the case of a firearm that is lost or stolen, but in any event, I cannot help but think of the slogan that"Guns don't kill people; people kill people." Well, maybe guns don't kill people, but ammunition certainly does. There is very little in these four bills that would not be a reasonable regulation affecting the right to keep and bear arms, and I support them all. However, I would urge this Committee to address the confidentiality issues in HB 2631 related to mental health records (either by requiring the waiver of confidentiality in order to secure a firearm, or by limiting the records to be reviewed to court and/or public records). A fifth bill on your agenda is HB 2744. It would not affect the right to keep and bear arms, but simply establish a "gun violence prevention center" at the University. This bill recognizes that research at the national level has largely been stymied by those who anticipate that the results of study will not be favorable to their cause. I believe that public policy thrives when based on good data and research, and I therefore heartily endorse HB 2744. Restricting research should be a cause of national concern, which we can partially overcome by taking on the research task locally. Respectfully Submitted, / Harry Kim MAYOR County of Hawaii is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer.