State Gun Laws

Hawaii state law says that a person cannot have or buy a gun if s/he:

1. has been convicted of, or is being prosecuted for:
   • a felony;
   • a criminal offense relating to firearms;
   • any crime of violence,¹ which is defined as:
     • any offense under federal or state law that has as an element of the offense:
       • injury or threat of injury to another person;  or
       • use, attempted use, or threatened use of physical force against a person, property, or the creation of a substantial risk of causing bodily injury;
     • reckless endangering in the second degree;
     • terroristic threatening in the second degree;
     • sexual assault in the fourth degree;
     • endangering the welfare of a minor in the second degree;
     • endangering the welfare of an incompetent person;
     • harassment (subsection(1)(a));
     • harassment by stalking;
     • criminal solicitation or criminal conspiracy for any of the crimes of violence listed above;
     • offenses under federal law, or the law of another state or territory that are comparable to the crimes of violence listed above;² or
   • an illegal sale or distribution of any drug;
2. has been found not guilty of a crime because of a mental disorder, unless the person has been medically documented to no longer have the mental disorder;
3. is under 25 and was found by a family court to have committed:
   • a felony;
   • two or more crimes of violence; or
   • an illegal sale of any drug; or
4. is a fugitive from justice.¹

Also, federal laws, which apply to all states, restrict a person’s right to have a gun under certain circumstances. Go to Federal Gun Laws to get more information.

¹ Haw. Rev. Stat. § 134-7(a), (b), (d)
² Haw. Rev. Stat. § 134-1