Question: If a business doesn’t have a sign, does that mean guns are allowed or are not allowed?

Answer: Not allowed. You are referring to an Oahu law that took effect Monday that prohibits the public from bringing guns to sensitive public places, such as schools, hospitals, government buildings, homeless shelters, bars, concert venues and many other locations.

Businesses that are not considered sensitive places under the law and that want to allow firearms on the premises must post a sign to that effect, according to the city, which has posted FAQs about the law at oneoahu.org/sensitive-places.

The website says owners of businesses not considered sensitive places “are not required to take any action unless you want to allow firearms on your property. If you wish to allow firearms on your property, you must post a ‘Guns Allowed’ sign, which are available from the city at no charge. If you want to prohibit firearms on your property, you do not need to do anything, but you may post signs that firearms are prohibited if you want to. Again, business owners are not required to take action unless they want to allow firearms.”

This means that a business without a sign prohibits guns.

Q: Aren’t they enforcing REAL ID at the airports soon?

A: No. The enforcement date has been postponed multiple times, and now stands at May 7, 2025, two decades after Congress passed the REAL ID Act in 2005.

The federal law established minimum security standards for state-issued driver’s licenses and identification cards and, once it’s fully enforced, will prohibit passengers who lack acceptable ID from boarding federally regulated commercial aircraft.

Correction

Employer-funded private pensions are not subject to Hawaii income tax, according to the state Department of Taxation. A personal finance website we cited in Tuesday’s column overstated the tax liability of private pensions. Here is correct information from DOTAX:

“Hawaii does not tax qualifying distributions from an employer-funded pension plan or from a government retirement system (for example federal civil service, military pension, state or county retirement system), or from a private employer pension plan received upon retirement, if the employee did not contribute to the pension plan. For a payment to be an exempt pension, the payment must be made on account of an employee’s retirement, disability or death and must be funded by the employer. Hawaii does not apply a 10% penalty for early distributions — federal taxation does.”

For details, see the 2022 N-11 Hawaii Resident Income Tax Instructions booklet at files.hawaii.gov/tax/forms/2022/n11ins.pdf. Instructions for N-11 Line 13 (on Page 13) explain that “distributions from a private employer pension plan received upon retirement are partially taxed by Hawaii if the employee contributed to the pension plan.”

Auwe

The sidewalks, street medians and highway entrances and exits are so overgrown it’s ridiculous. The city and state always blame it on the rain, but better planning and higher standards would make a difference. Oahu should look better! — Reader

Mahalo

I enjoy going to the Kahala Post Office. They are very efficient and kind. On Friday I carelessly dropped my Japanese wallet with cash for my weekly marketing. A very honest and thoughtful woman found it and turned it in. The postmistress recognized that it belonged to me and came out with the woman. I was in the car looking for my money. I was thankful to both of them and wish them all the best! — Grateful 90-year-old

Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 7-500, Honolulu, HI 96813; call 808-529-4773; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.