As new gun laws go into effect Monday on New Year’s Day, in compliance with Act 52, the Honolulu Police Department’s chief wanted to dispel rumors concerning them at a news conference Friday.
“We’ve heard rumors that HPD is not accepting applications for either permits to acquire or license to carry. That’s not correct,” Chief Arthur “Joe” Logan said. “HPD will continue to accept applications.”
In fact, as of Friday, HPD had approved 1,186 license-to-carry applications for more than 1,600 firearms. In addition to the 1,186 applications, there were 1,600 applications that had not yet been approved.
Last week alone, 283 people rushed to submit 386 permit-to-acquire applications, which amounts to 77 gun permit applications a day.
The number of applicants in the City and County of Honolulu is “really a small number of individuals,” the chief said.
Logan said that whatever is in effect Jan. 1 as outlined in the state’s Act 52 will be the minimum standard.
The law can be amended by each county as permitted within the scope of the law.
Therefore, HPD will hold a public hearing 10 a.m. Jan. 9 at the main station to amend and add new rules to HPD’s Rules of the Chief of Police for Oahu to comply with Act 52, which was signed into law this year.
The application process will be extended to 40 days from 14 to give enough time for the Rules of the Chief to be approved.
A new requirement for those who want to obtain a permit to acquire a firearm is to pass a safety course. A safety course always has been required for those applying for a license to carry a concealed firearm.
For current gun owners, they will not need to pass a safety course unless they try to obtain a permit for a new firearm.
HPD has on its approved list 46 license-to-carry instructors and six permit- to-acquire instructors. These instructors operate as a commercial business and are not HPD-controlled, Logan said.
Logan also told reporters, who had heard to the contrary, that HPD is not revoking verifications of current license-to-carry, verified firearm instructors.
But under the new law, these instructors must submit answers to questions regarding their mental health.
It would be up to the medical provider to determine whether the person is of competent mind or a danger to society, Logan said.
In June 2022 the U.S. Supreme Court limited states’ abilities to restrict the carrying of firearms.
Mayor Rick Blangiardi said earlier this year that counties, however, are allowed to make their own restrictions and that he would sign a new law naming “sensitive places” where concealed firearms are banned.
On May 1 that new law went into effect on Oahu banning concealed firearms in 13 sensitive places on Oahu, which included government buildings, public parks, shelters, places frequented by children, election polling places, public transit, businesses that serve alcohol, large public gatherings including protests, concert venues, cannabis dispensaries and hospitals.
However, the chief said: “The ones that are schools, hospitals, government buildings are still intact. However, the ones with beaches, parks, sidewalk areas adjacent to sensitive areas and, I think, restaurants and other liquor establishments, those are under a court order where we can’t enforce at this point in time.
“Right now those are in abeyance.”
One advantage to the new law for concealed-carry licensees is that when renewing their license in the new year, the license will be valid for four years with a $50 renewal fee, instead of just one year.
A concealed-carry licensee who fails to conceal the firearm violates the law by intentionally, knowingly or recklessly causing alarm to another person, which is a petty misdemeanor.
The line to obtain a permit was short Friday afternoon at HPD’s main station, unlike earlier this week when one woman who works at the station says it had snaked around the building.
Ewa Beach resident Andrew Amina, 44, said the new laws make “it harder for law-abiding citizens. You got to jump through loops. So many loops just to acquire. Even if I already own, I got to go through the same loops.
“If I did commit a felony, they (police) would know and come take my guns.”
A Navy sailor, who declined to give his name, said, “I just found out about some of the new laws,” while standing in line.
He said he has no firearms and was unsure whether he will acquire any.
Dee, a Waikiki hotel security guard who declined to give his full name, said, “The laws are different from other places. I got to get used to the changes.”
He said he took a safety course and paid a little over $100 for it. “Next year I have to redo it,” he said.
Although he is not required to carry a handgun for work, he would like to obtain a permit in order to reach higher levels and obtain clearances for better- paying jobs.
In response to a question regarding whether he had concerns that people might be discouraged from obtaining legal firearm permits because of the added requirements, Logan said, “Well, that’s a personal choice. What people choose to do based on the information is really up to them.”
As for how many illegal firearms are in the hands of Oahu’s citizenry, Logan did not venture a guess, and instead said, “If anyone has one, it’s one too many.”
“We’re working with our federal and state partners to help us understand (how firearms are being obtained illegally) and how do we enforce the laws that we have to ensure that people don’t have guns — ghost guns or illegally obtaining a firearm that is not registered or they’re not licensed to carry,” he said. “Maybe their background is such that they couldn’t get a license to carry or permit to acquire, but they acquired a gun somehow.”
HPD will hold a public hearing on the proposed rules at 10 a.m. Jan. 9 in the first floor of the main station at 801 S. Beretania St.
The proposed rules can be found at honolulupd.org/police-services/firearms or can be obtained at the Firearms Unit at HPD’s main station, 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays. Or, email HPDLTC@ honolulu.gov to request a free copy.
