# Hawaii SB 401: RELATING TO FIREARMS.

Hawaii SB 401, RELATING TO FIREARMS., is a 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2) Senate bill sponsored by Karl Rhoads (Democratic); status failed, last action 2026-04-02 (Received notice of the discharge of all House Conferees (Hse. Com. No. 457).); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-11-01).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB401-2026
- As of: 2026-11-01
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Hawaii SB 401
- State: Hawaii
- Session: 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2)
- Title: RELATING TO FIREARMS.
- Status: failed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2025-01-14
- Last action: 2026-04-02, Received notice of the discharge of all House Conferees (Hse. Com. No. 457).
- Sponsor: Karl Rhoads (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 2
- Subjects: Firearms, Gun Safety, Assault Rifles, Assault Shotguns, .50 Caliber Firearms, Detachable Magazines, Prohibition, JHA
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 8 (123 yes, 26 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Establishes prohibitions on assault rifles, assault shotguns, and .50 caliber firearms. Expands the ban on high-capacity detachable magazines. Allows possession of an assault rifle, assault shotgun, or detachable magazine with a capacity greater than ten rounds when certain conditions are met. Effective 1/1/2026. (CD2)

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Karl Rhoads (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Stanley Chang (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Glenn Wakai (Democratic), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-04-24 | House | The Conference Committee recommends that the measure be Passed, with Amendments.... | pass | 2 | 1 |   |
| 2025-04-24 | Senate | The Conference committee recommends that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS.... | pass | 4 | 0 |   |
| 2025-04-04 | House | House Floor Vote | pass | 40 | 8 |   |
| 2025-04-02 | House | House Floor Vote | pass | 42 | 8 |   |
| 2025-03-13 | House | The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The ... | pass | 8 | 1 |   |
| 2025-03-04 | Senate | Senate Floor Vote | pass | 20 | 5 |   |
| 2025-02-27 | Senate | The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENT... | pass | 3 | 2 |   |
| 2025-02-12 | Senate | The committee(s) on PSM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENT... | pass | 4 | 1 |   |

## Actions (47)

- 2026-04-02: Received notice of the discharge of all House Conferees (Hse. Com. No. 457). (Senate)
- 2026-04-01: House Conferee(s) discharged. (House)
- 2026-03-20: Senate Conferee(s) discharged. (Senate)
- 2026-03-20: Received notice of all Senate conferees being discharged (Sen. Com. No. 409). (House)
- 2025-12-08: Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
- 2025-04-30: Floor Amendment No. 15 offered. (Senate)
- 2025-04-30: Floor amendment adopted as amended (CD 2) following Roll Call vote: Ayes, 13. Ayes(s) with reservations: none. Noes, 12 (Senator(s) Chang, Dela Cruz, Elefante, Fukunaga, Hashimoto, Ihara, Inouye, Kanuha, Keohokalole, Lee, C., Moriwaki, Rhoads). Excused, 0 (none). (Senate)
- 2025-04-30: Separated Committee Report. (Senate)
- 2025-04-30: Report filed. (Senate)
- 2025-04-30: Recommitted to Conference Committee. (Senate)
- 2025-04-30: Recommitted to Conference committee as amended in CD 1 with none voting no and Representative(s) Cochran excused. (House)
- 2025-04-24: Received notice of appointment of House conferees (Hse. Com. No. 808). (Senate)
- 2025-04-24: Received notice of change in conferees (Hse. Com. No. 811). (Senate)
- 2025-04-24: The Conference committee recommends that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes of the Senate Conference Managers were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Elefante, Rhoads, Chang, Wakai; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none. (Senate)
- 2025-04-24: The Conference Committee recommends that the measure be Passed, with Amendments. The votes were as follows: 2 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Todd; Ayes with reservations: none; 1 Noes: Representative(s) Garcia; and 0 Excused: none. (House)
- 2025-04-24: Reported from Conference Committee as amended CD 1 (Conf. Com. Rep. No. 85). (Senate)
- 2025-04-24: 48 Hrs. Notice (as amended CD 1) 04-30-25. (Senate)
- 2025-04-24: Reported from Conference Committee (Conf Com. Rep. No. 85) as amended in (CD 1). (House)
- 2025-04-24: Forty-eight (48) hours notice Wednesday, 04-30-25. (House)
- 2025-04-23: House Conferees Appointed: Tarnas Chair; Poepoe, Todd, Garcia. (House)
- 2025-04-23: Conference committee meeting scheduled for 04-24-25 4:30PM; Conference Room 325. (Senate)
- 2025-04-23: House Conferees Discharged: Representative Poepoe discharged as Conferee. (House)
- 2025-04-22: Senate Conferees Appointed: Elefante Chair; Rhoads Co-Chair; Chang, Wakai. (Senate)
- 2025-04-22: Received notice of Senate conferees (Sen. Com. No. 863). (House)
- 2025-04-08: Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 578). (Senate)
- 2025-04-08: Senate disagrees with House amendments. (Senate)
- 2025-04-08: Received notice of disagreement (Sen. Com. No. 774). (House)
- 2025-04-04: Passed Third Reading with Representative(s) Reyes Oda voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Alcos, Garcia, Kila, Kong, Matsumoto, Muraoka, Pierick, Shimizu voting no (8) and Representative(s) Cochran, Kapela, Marten excused (3). Transmitted to Senate. (House)
- 2025-04-02: Reported from JHA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1750) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and placement on the calendar for Third Reading. (House)
- 2025-04-02: Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1; placed on the calendar for Third Reading with Representative(s) Kila, Reyes Oda voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Alcos, Garcia, Kong, Matsumoto, Muraoka, Pierick, Shimizu, Souza voting no (8) and Representative(s) Cochran excused (1). (House)
- 2025-03-13: The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 8 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Poepoe, Belatti, Hashem, Kahaloa, Perruso, Takayama, Todd; Ayes with reservations: none; 1 Noes: Representative(s) Shimizu; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Cochran, Garcia. (House)
- 2025-03-11: Bill scheduled to be heard by JHA on Thursday, 03-13-25 2:00PM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (House)
- 2025-03-06: Pass First Reading (House)
- 2025-03-06: Referred to JHA, referral sheet 19 (House)
- 2025-03-04: Report Adopted; Passed Third Reading, as amended (SD 2). Ayes, 20; Aye(s) with reservations: Senator(s) Aquino, McKelvey, Richards, San Buenaventura. Noes, 5 (Senator(s) Awa, DeCoite, DeCorte, Fevella, Gabbard). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House. (Senate)
- 2025-03-04: Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 150) in amended form (SD 2). (House)
- 2025-02-28: Reported from JDC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1058) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading, as amended (SD 2). (Senate)
- 2025-02-28: 48 Hrs. Notice 03-04-25. (Senate)
- 2025-02-27: The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in JDC were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Rhoads, Chang, Awa; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 2 No(es): Senator(s) Gabbard, San Buenaventura; and 0 Excused: none. (Senate)
- 2025-02-24: The committee(s) on JDC will hold a public decision making on 02-27-25 10:01AM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference. (Senate)
- 2025-02-14: Reported from PSM (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 552) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to JDC. (Senate)
- 2025-02-14: Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to JDC. (Senate)
- 2025-02-12: The committee(s) on PSM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in PSM were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Elefante, Wakai, Fukunaga, Rhoads; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 1 No(es): Senator(s) DeCorte; and 0 Excused: none. (Senate)
- 2025-02-07: The committee(s) on PSM has scheduled a public hearing on 02-12-25 3:00PM; Conference Room 225 & Videoconference. (Senate)
- 2025-01-21: Referred to PSM, JDC. (Senate)
- 2025-01-15: Introduced and passed First Reading. (Senate)
- 2025-01-14: Pending Introduction. (Senate)

## Bill text

- Bill Text: [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB401_CD2_.pdf)
- Original: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB401_.HTM), [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB401_.PDF)
- SB401_CD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB401_CD1_.HTM)
- SB401_CD1_SFA15: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB401_CD1_SFA15_.HTM)
- SB401_CD2: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB401_CD2_.HTM)
- SB401_HD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB401_HD1_.HTM)
- SB401_SD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB401_SD1_.HTM)
- SB401_SD2: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB401_SD2_.HTM)

## Related bills

- SB 847: RELATING TO PSYCHOLOGISTS. (became law)
- HB 2344: RELATING TO SCHOOL FACILITIES. (signed)
- HB 2023: RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION. (signed)
- HB 2021: RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION. (signed)
- SB 2338: RELATING TO HOUSING. (signed)
- HB 1973: RELATING TO HEALTH. (signed)

## Sources
- [Bill Text (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB401_CD2_.pdf)
- [Original (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB401_.HTM)
- [Original (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB401_.PDF)
- [SB401_CD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB401_CD1_.HTM)
- [SB401_CD1_SFA15 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB401_CD1_SFA15_.HTM)
- [SB401_CD2 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB401_CD2_.HTM)
- [SB401_HD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB401_HD1_.HTM)
- [SB401_SD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB401_SD1_.HTM)
- [SB401_SD2 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB401_SD2_.HTM)

## Related
- [SB 847: RELATING TO PSYCHOLOGISTS.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB847-2026)
- [HB 2344: RELATING TO SCHOOL FACILITIES.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB2344-2026)
- [HB 2023: RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB2023-2026)
- [HB 2021: RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB2021-2026)
- [SB 2338: RELATING TO HOUSING.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB2338-2026)
- [HB 1973: RELATING TO HEALTH.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB1973-2026)
- [Hawaii bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/hawaii/bills)
- [Hawaii state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/hawaii)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB401-2026 (as of 2026-11-01).