In the first-ever look at the number of people licensed to carry a concealed handgun in Hawaii, the state Department of the Attorney General announced Wednesday that 2,207 people can pack in public, about 0.2% of the state’s resident population age 20 or older.
On Oahu, 1,356 people are licensed to carry handguns in public, compared with 425 on Hawaii island, 183 on Maui and 243 on Kauai as of Dec. 31. A license to carry concealed handguns in Hawaii is valid for four years and the rules vary by county Opens in a new tab.
“Licensees are overrepresented in Kauai County (11.0% of statewide licensees compared to 5.1% of the state’s resident population) and Hawaii County (19.3% and 14.5%, respectively) and commensurately underrepresented in the City and County of Honolulu and Maui County,” according to the AG.
People in Hawaii who hold a license to carry a handgun in public are “most commonly male; in their 30s through 50s; and of Caucasian, Filipino, Hawaiian, or Japanese racial/ethnic
descent.”
“There are no meaningful distinctions in application submissions versus outcomes relative to age, sex, or race/ethnicity,” according to state officials.
People identifying as white held 791 licenses to carry a concealed handgun followed by 643 of Filipino ancestry, 355 of Japanese ancestry, 352 Hawaiians or part Hawaiians, and 100 of Chinese ancestry.
The statistics revealing how many citizens are able to walk around in public with a gun were included in “Licenses to Carry Handguns in Hawaii,” a report by Paul Perrone, the AG’s chief of research and statistics.
The report is required
annually by law.
Statewide, 2,697 license to carry applications were received by the county police departments, while 2,456 licenses were issued, and officials noted that “some licensees hold multiple licenses in order to select between different carry guns.”
One hundred and nineteen applications were denied and six were revoked.
The full report can be downloaded from the Department of the Attorney General’s Research and Statistics website.
A 6-3 decision on June 22, 2022, by the Supreme Court in New York State Rifle &Pistol Association, Inc. v. Bruen ensured police chiefs in Hawaii lost discretion to deny a permit to carry a gun to law-abiding citizens who satisfy basic requirements put in place by each county.
In 2023, Gov. Josh Green signed Act 52 into law, which dictates when and where licensed gun owners can carry firearms.
People cannot carry guns on private property owned by someone else or in and on beaches, parks and restaurants and bars that serve alcohol, along with their adjacent parking areas.
Act 52 also “requires possession and disclosure of a license to carry. Prohibits leaving an unsecured firearm in a vehicle unattended. Prohibits consuming or being under the influence of alcohol, an intoxicating liquor, or a controlled substance when carrying a firearm.”
In 2023, Mayor Rick Blangiardi also signed into law Bill 57, which bans firearms in 13 “sensitive places” across Oahu, including schools, child care facilities, popular places such as the Waikiki Aquarium, voting sites and hospitals.
State officials hailed a ruling Opens in a new tab by a panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that the officials maintain upholds the state restrictions on where people can carry firearms in Hawaii.
In the wake of the Bruen ruling, county police departments had to scramble to staff up licensing operations and comply with rapidly evolving federal, state and county policies.
Adding to the hassle of complying with the new laws was withering input from Second Amendment advocates and those who oppose the proliferation of firearms outside of the military and law enforcement.
Honolulu Police Chief Arthur “Joe” Logan told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser that it has been a “steep learning curve to implement the amended Rules of the Chief for the City and County of Honolulu in the wake of the Bruen decision.”
“The sensitive places argument is still going through the courts Opens in a new tab, and we await a final determination in order to codify this decision into law,” said Logan. “HPD has not seen an increase in gun violence as it relates to those legally carrying a firearm. However, we have seen an increase in gun violence committed by those who do not have a legal right to carry a firearm whether
due to age, permit, license, or previous criminal
convictions.”
Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney Steve Alm echoed Logan’s statements about gun violence in Hawaii after Bruen.
Alm told the Star-Advertiser that his office has “not seen an increase in gun related crimes that is directly related to an increase in the issuance of licenses to private citizens to carry a firearm.”
“The vast majority of the citizens of Hawaii, that applied for these licenses, are being responsible and are unlikely to be involved in crimes using a firearm. However, we are seeing crimes committed with ghost guns (guns that are not serialized or licensed),” Alm said. “To address these crimes, our office submitted a bill in our package this legislative session that provides a definition of a ghost gun. House Bill 392 will provide police and prosecutors a tool to effectively investigate and prosecute these crimes.”
The measure was approved by the state House and Senate and is expected to be signed into law by the governor. State House leadership is still reviewing the AG’s report.
The Maui Police Department and its records section are “committed to upholding the laws of the State of Hawaii and the United States.”
Kauai Police Department Chief Todd Raybuck told the Star-Advertiser that Kauai has not seen any identifiable “increase or decrease in violent crime since the issuance of permits to carry.”
“The process for review and approval has been without complications,” Raybuck said. “KPD hasn’t identified any trends related to gun free zones. KPD’s focus remains on maintaining compliance with state and federal laws on firearms.”
“Maui County has the lowest percentage of licensed firearms in the state, accounting for only .14%. Furthermore, over the past two years, Maui County has seen no increase in violent crime (2022-2023) or experienced a reduction in such incidents, with a 5% decrease reported for 2023-2024,” Alana K. Pico, the MPD spokesperson, told the Star-Advertiser. “This achievement reflects the dedication and tireless efforts of the men and women of the Maui Police Department.”
Andrew Namiki Roberts, a director and board member of the Hawaii Firearms
Coalition, told the Star-Advertiser that the firearms report “confirms what we expected.”
“It shows that although concealed carry has been legal in Hawaii for two years, the number of people applying for and being approved for permits remains relatively low compared to other states that require a license to carry concealed,” said Roberts, noting that 29 states have adopted constitutional carry laws and do not require a permit. “The primary reason for Hawaii’s low numbers is the actions of both the Legislature and the police departments.
“In 2023, significant legal changes made the process far more burdensome for applicants. New license seekers are now required to take multiple classes — which can cost hundreds of dollars — submit a self-declared affidavit, and pay a $150 fee. For most people, this process is both expensive and time-consuming, often requiring multiple days and several trips to the police station.”
