State lawmakers and gun control advocates gathered Wednesday to celebrate the Legislature’s work so far aimed at reducing gun violence across the islands.

“There are situations where guns are important — hunting, defense of your home,” said state Sen. Karl Rhoads (D, Nuuanu­-Downtown-Iwilei), who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee. “But carrying them on the street, the gun industry would have you believe that we’re all safer if everybody here in this crowd had a gun. ‘We would be safer.’ That’s utter nonsense. Utter nonsense.”

Rhoads spoke at a Wednesday news conference at the state Capitol, reflecting on the U.S. Supreme Court’s June ruling limiting states’ abilities to restrict the carrying of firearms.

Rhoads called New York State Rifle and Pistol Association Inc. vs. Bruen “a horrible case. As soon as there’s a liberal Supreme Court, it’s going to be overturned. It’s that bad.”

He was joined by Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke, state Senate President Ron Kouchi, other state senators and representatives, and advocates from the Hawaii Chapter of Moms Demand Action.

The Supreme Court’s decision, Rhoads said, inspired the Legislature to consider bills that “minimize the damage caused by the Bruen decision.”

State Rep. David Tarnas, (D, Hawi-Waimea-Waikoloa), chairs the House Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs Committee and called House Bill 984 and HB 426 a “solid body of work.”

>> The latest version of HB 984 prohibits firearms in certain locations. It also requires possession and disclosure of a license to carry; prohibits leaving an unsecured firearm in an unattended vehicle; and prohibits consuming or being under the influence of alcohol or drugs while carrying a firearm.

>> The latest version of HB 426 authorizes the state Attorney General or any county attorney or public prosecutor to bring civil action against a firearm industry member for violating the standards of conduct, which are defined under the bill.

“This package of legislation we have — HB 984 and HB 426 — is a very solid body of work that’s coming out of the House of Representatives and going over to the Senate,” Tarnas said.

Ilima DeCosta — who is the legislative lead for the Hawaii Chapter of Moms Demand Action and a gun violence survivor — lost a child to gun violence.

DeCosta did not describe the circumstances at the news conference but said, “it’s very painful and I really don’t wish this on anyone.”

Rep. Scot Matayoshi, (D, Kaneohe-Maunawili), said reducing gun violence is personal for him as a father.

“So now I’ve got a real vested interest in making sure that before they (his children) go to school that we get these guns out of people’s hands — so that they’re safe,” Matayoshi said.

Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke has a son who is a student at the University of Memphis, which she called “one of the most dangerous cities in the United States.”

Luke worries every day that her son will be a victim of gun violence.

“The number of gun violence (incidents) at the universities have quadrupled in the last 10 years and this is not acceptable,” Luke said. “This is where we want our kids to have a safe haven for them to have discussion — for them to have personal growth — for them to find who they are. And we cannot have the universities around our nation where it’s no longer safe for our teenagers — for our young minds to figure out what they want to do and they have to live in fear.”

Luke said she particularly appreciated the work of the Hawaii Chapter of Moms Demand Action.

“Hawaii ranks No. 3 when it comes to gun safety,” Luke said. “But even with that, 55 people die from gun violence every year in the state of Hawaii — 55 is not acceptable.”