Question: Are stun guns legal now?
Answer: Not yet, but soon. A state law that takes effect Jan. 1 repeals Hawaii’s ban on the possession and sale of electric guns, commonly known as stun guns, and regulates their sale and use. HB891, HD2, SD2, CD1 was passed by the Legislature last session and signed into law by Gov. David Ige on July 6 as Act 183. Find the measure and related testimony at capitol.hawaii.gov.
In general, the new law will allow people age 21 and older to buy stun guns from licensed sellers after passing a criminal history check and receiving an informational briefing. The weapons may be used only for self-defense or the defense of other people or property. The licensed seller must keep sales records for at least 10 years. The record must include the buyer’s name, date of birth, address, telephone number, a copy of the buyer’s government-issued ID and the transaction record for the electric gun or cartridge, the law says. Sellers would be licensed annually by the counties.
The bill that became Act 183 said that Hawaii’s prohibition on electric guns was on shaky constitutional ground and therefore the state should regulate the sale and use of the weapons. Electroshock weapons deliver painful jolts designed to incapacitate but not kill, although deaths have occurred. Some devices shoot dart-like electrodes from a distance while others require close contact to touch the target.
Q: Does the new law require training for someone to buy a Taser?
A: No, not explicitly, but it does require the licensed seller to brief the buyer on safe handling. The law states: “Before completing a sale, distribution, or other transfer of an electric gun, the licensee or an employee of the licensee shall provide an informational briefing to the recipient that includes but is not limited to the following: (1) The safe use and handling of electric guns; (2) Current information about the effects, dangers, risks, and limitations of electric guns; (3) Education on the existing state laws on electric guns; and (4) The proper disposal of electric guns.”
Q: Can I get a COVID-19 vaccine booster shot if I am on antibiotics for a different illness?
A: Yes if your symptoms are mild and, as you indicated, you do not have COVID-19, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “People with mild illnesses can be vaccinated. Do not withhold vaccination if a person is taking antibiotics,” the CDC says on its Prevaccination Checklist for COVID-19 Vaccination.
Q: If I am enrolled in TSA Precheck program to expedite security screening at the airport, can my kids automatically go through the fast lane with me when we travel together?
A: Yes, if they are 12 and younger. Children 13 to 17 traveling on the same reservation as you may join you in the fast lane only if they have the TSA PreCheck indicator on their boarding pass, according to the Transportation Security Administration. Children in that age range may be randomly excluded from receiving the indicator on their boarding pass, in which case they’d have to use the standard security line.
Auwe
Auwe to the inconsiderate neighbors who have been shooting off deafening explosive “fireworks” since before Thanksgiving. Somehow they get away with this year after year. — A reader
Mahalo
A very big mahalo to the woman behind me in the line at Ige’s Lunchwagon on the day before Thanksgiving. For some reason my credit card was denied. As I was ready to go back to the car to get a different card this wonderful woman came forward and paid for my four Thanksgiving plates. This was not a small amount! May she be blessed. — Barbara
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.
