HB 137 Hawaii House · 2025 Regular Session

RELATING TO FIREARMS.

Summary

Provides that violent felons that are in violation of the prohibition against owning, possessing, or controlling a firearm or ammunition are subject to a mandatory prison term. (HD1)

Issues: ✗ Criminal Justice

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Mar 2025

House Passage

Mar 2025

Senate Passage

Mar 2025

Signed into Law

Apr 2025

Introduced Jan 14, 2025 Signed Apr 11, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

HB137 → HB137_HD1 · 4 edits

MODERATE

The bill was reformatted from a traditional legislative text into a structured document template, with minor substantive changes to the felony classification language. The most significant policy change is the addition of a specific provision stating that felons with prior convictions for crimes of violence under section 134-1 face mandatory indeterminate prison terms when violating firearm prohibitions, while other felon violations remain class B felonies. The description was also updated to specify 'violent felons' rather than all felons.

Scope change

The bill now explicitly targets 'violent felons' for mandatory prison terms, narrowing the scope of who faces indeterminate sentencing compared to the broader 'any felon' language in the original version.

ELIGIBILITY

Added specific language requiring prior felony convictions to be for 'crimes of violence' as defined in section 134-1 to trigger mandatory indeterminate prison terms

ENFORCEMENT

Clarified sentencing structure: felon violations of subsection (b) with prior violent felony convictions receive indeterminate terms, while other felon violations remain class B felonies

TECHNICAL

Converted document from traditional legislative text format to structured document template with metadata fields

DESCRIPTION

Updated summary description to specify 'violent felons' rather than all felons are subject to mandatory prison terms

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Mar 31, 2025

Upper · Passed

Passed Third Reading. Ayes, 15; Aye(s) with reservations: none. Noes, 10 (Senator(s) Awa, DeCoite, DeCorte, Fevella, Gabbard, Ihara, Kidani, McKelvey, Richards, San Buenaventura). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.

upper

Mar 19, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on PSM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in PSM were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Elefante, Wakai, Rhoads, DeCorte; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Fukunaga.

upper

Mar 14, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on PSM has scheduled a public hearing on 03-19-25 3:00PM; Conference Room 225 & Videoconference.

upper

Mar 6, 2025

Committee

Re-Referred to PSM.

upper

Mar 6, 2025

Committee

Referred to PSM, JDC.

upper

Mar 6, 2025

Introduced

Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 193).

upper

Mar 4, 2025

Lower · Passed

Passed Third Reading with Representative(s) Iwamoto voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Reyes Oda voting no (1) and Representative(s) Kapela, Pierick, Ward excused (3). Transmitted to Senate.

lower

Feb 25, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 7 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Poepoe, Belatti, Hashem, Perruso, Takayama, Todd; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 4 Excused: Representative(s) Cochran, Kahaloa, Garcia, Shimizu.

lower

Jan 21, 2025

Committee

Referred to JHA, referral sheet 1

lower

Jan 16, 2025

Introduced

Introduced and Pass First Reading.

lower

Jan 14, 2025

Introduced

Prefiled.

lower

13 primary · 0 co-sponsors