Hawaii’s new open carry law: Balancing rights and public safety
By Lauren Taylor (Reporter), Emma Stoltzfus (Video Editor)
This report was created with support from enhanced software.
Hawaii dramatically shifted its weapons laws in response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2022 Bruen decision. Hawaii, which is known for strict weapons restrictions and low gun violence rates, now allows open carry of weapons, including firearms, battle axes and blades, in public spaces.
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Bikinis, surfboards and battle-axes? Hawaii loosens long-strict weapons laws after court ruling
Click to see story on My Mother LodeBikinis, surfboards and battle-axes? Hawaii loosens long-strict weapons laws after court ruling – The Morning Sun
Click to see story on Morning SunBikinis, surfboards and battle-axes? Hawaii loosens long-strict weapon
Click to see story on WBALBikinis, surfboards and battle-axes? Hawaii loosens long-strict weapons laws after court ruling – Regional Media News
Click to see story on regionalmedianews.comState lawmakers passed a law allowing open carry of deadly or dangerous weapons in public following both the Bruen decision and a subsequent circuit court ruling striking down the state’s ban on butterfly knives. The law also increased penalties for weapon-related crimes.
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The law explicitly prohibits carrying weapons in a manner that threatens or terrorizes others, reinforcing the state’s focus on preserving public order and security.
This change reshaped iconic tourist destinations like Waikiki, known for its beaches and surfing. The beach is now seeing the presence of armed individuals openly carrying weapons.
The Hawaii Attorney General’s Office emphasized that the new law does not create a “free-for-all” scenario. The office said the state remains committed to maintaining public safety while complying with the Supreme Court’s ruling.
Hawaii continues to adapt to this new legal landscape, facing the ongoing challenge of balancing constitutional rights and public safety.
While open carry is now generally permitted in Hawaii, concealed carry remains a misdemeanor.
[LAUREN TAYLOR]
HAWAII HAS DRAMATICALLY SHIFTED ITS WEAPONS LAWS IN RESPONSE TO THE 2022 U.S. SUPREME COURT BRUEN DECISION.
THE STATE KNOWN FOR STRICT WEAPONS RESTRICTIONS AND LOW GUN VIOLENCE RATES NOW ALLOWS OPEN CARRY OF WEAPONS IN PUBLIC SPACES FROM FIREARMS TO BATTLEAXES TO BLADES.
STATE LAWMAKERS PASSED A LAW ALLOWING OPEN CARRY OF DEADLY OR DANGEROUS WEAPONS IN PUBLIC FOLLOWING BOTH THE BRUEN DECISION AND A SUBSEQUENT CIRCUIT COURT RULING STRIKING DOWN THE STATE’S BAN ON BUTTERFLY KNIVES. THE LAW ALSO INCREASED PENALTIES FOR WEAPON-RELATED CRIMES.
THE LAW EXPLICITLY PROHIBITS CARRYING WEAPONS IN A MANNER THAT THREATENS OR TERRORIZES OTHERS, REINFORCING THE STATE’S FOCUS ON PRESERVING PUBLIC ORDER AND SECURITY.
THIS CHANGE IS RESHAPING ICONIC TOURIST DESTINATIONS LIKE WAIKIKI – KNOWN FOR ITS BEACHES AND SURFING – WHICH IS NOW SEEING THE PRESENCE OF ARMED INDIVIDUALS OPENLY CARRYING WEAPONS.
THE HAWAII ATTORNEY GENERAL’S OFFICE EMPHASIZED THAT THIS DOES NOT CREATE A ‘FREE-FOR-ALL’ SCENARIO, SAYING THE STATE REMAINS COMMITTED TO MAINTAINING PUBLIC SAFETY WHILE COMPLYING WITH THE SUPREME COURT’S RULING.
HAWAII CONTINUES TO ADAPT TO THIS NEW LEGAL LANDSCAPE, FACING THE ONGOING CHALLENGE OF BALANCING CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS AND PUBLIC SAFETY.
WHILE OPEN CARRY IS NOW GENERALLY PERMITTED, CONCEALED CARRY REMAINS A MISDEMEANOR.
FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS, I’M LAUREN TAYLOR..
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See who else is reporting on this story and which side of the political spectrum they lean. To read other sources, click on the plus signs below. Learn more about this dataBias Distribution
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Bikinis, surfboards and battle-axes? Hawaii loosens long-strict weapons laws after court ruling
Click to see story on The IndependentBikinis, surfboards and battle-axes? Hawaii loosens long-strict weapons laws after court ruling
Click to see story on Associated Press NewsHawaii Loosens Strict Weapons Laws After SCOTUS Ruling
Click to see story on Time MagazineBikinis, surfboards and battle-axes? Hawaii loosens long-strict weapons laws after court ruling
Click to see story on KIFIBikinis, surfboards and battle-axes? Hawaii loosens long-strict weapons laws after court ruling
Click to see story on KVIABikinis, surfboards and battle-axes? Hawaii loosens long-strict weapons laws after court ruling
Click to see story on WPLGBikinis, surfboards and battle-axes? Hawaii loosens long-strict weapons laws after court ruling
Click to see story on WKMGBikinis, surfboards and battle-axes? Hawaii loosens long-strict weapons laws after court ruling
Click to see story on KOB 4Bikinis, surfboards and battle-axes? Hawaii loosens long-strict weapons laws after court ruling
Click to see story on WCBDBikinis, surfboards and battle-axes? Hawaii loosens long-strict weapons laws after court ruling
Click to see story on Stars and StripesBikinis, Surfboards And Battle-Axes? Hawaii Loosens Long-Strict Weapons Laws After Court Ruling
Click to see story on Civil BeatBikinis, surfboards and battle-axes? Hawaii loosens long-strict weapons laws after court ruling
Click to see story on KMIZBikinis, surfboards and battle-axes? Hawaii loosens long-strict weapons laws after court ruling – KION546
Click to see story on KIONRight
Untracked Bias
Bikinis, surfboards and battle-axes? Hawaii loosens long-strict weapons laws after court ruling
Click to see story on My Mother LodeBikinis, surfboards and battle-axes? Hawaii loosens long-strict weapons laws after court ruling – The Morning Sun
Click to see story on Morning SunBikinis, surfboards and battle-axes? Hawaii loosens long-strict weapon
Click to see story on WBALBikinis, surfboards and battle-axes? Hawaii loosens long-strict weapons laws after court ruling – Regional Media News
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