HONOLULU — The Honolulu Police Department issued its first license to carry a concealed firearm in Honolulu County on Wednesday, six months after the Supreme Court struck down the right of states to require permit applicants to prove a cause or need.

What You Need To Know

  • In a 6-3 decision on New York State Rifle and Pistol Association v. Bruen, the high court ruled that Second Amendment rights extend outside the home and found New York’s 111-year-old Sullivan Act, which required that applicants seeking a license to carry a concealed pistol show proper cause, was unconstitutional

  • Hawaii, home to some of the most restrictive gun laws in the country, was one of seven states that had a “may issue” concealed carry law, which allowed the state to ask applicants to justify their request to carry a concealed firearm and deny applications based on a broad set of standards

  • Honolulu Police Department Chief Joe Logan said the department has so far received about 600 concealed carry applications, nearly all in the immediate aftermath of the high court decision

  • About 10 applications have cleared the screening process and are awaiting Logan’s signature

“It’s not something I thought I would have to do when I applied for this position a year and a half ago, but the Supreme Court has stated that we in Hawaii, along with six other states, will do this and so we are there,” said HPD chief Joe Logan at a news conference on Thursday.

In a 6-3 decision on New York State Rifle and Pistol Association v. Bruen, the high court ruled that Second Amendment rights extend outside the home and found New York’s 111-year-old Sullivan Act, which required that applicants seeking a license to carry a concealed pistol show proper cause, was unconstitutional.

Hawaii, home to some of the most restrictive gun laws in the country, was one of seven states that had a “may issue” concealed carry law, which allowed the state to ask applicants to justify their request to carry a concealed firearm and deny applications based on a broad set of standards.

Prior to the Bruen decision, concealed carry permits in Hawaii were approved only for applicants who could prove “exceptional” circumstances and/or a “reason to fear injury.” That effectively limited permits to qualified active and retired law enforcement officers. Without that provision, anyone who passes the requisite background check can obtain permit to carry a concealed firearm in public.

Logan said the department has received about 600 concealed carry applications, nearly all in the immediate aftermath of the high court decision. About 10 applications have cleared the screening process and are awaiting Logan’s signature.

Firearms owners must get separate permits for each firearm they intend to carry.

Both Hawaii County and the City and County of Honolulu have been considering enacting “safe areas” laws to limit where concealed firearms are allowed. The state Legislature is also expected to consider legislation in response to the Supreme Court decision.

“I think we’re waiting to see what that looks like and then, based on that information, see what’s best and how we can help the situation,” Logan said. “Our job really is to enforce the laws that are approved by our Legislature or City Council, so we might assist in report writing or legislative writing of the bill itself to help with the enforcement piece.”

Michael Tsai covers local and state politics for Spectrum News Hawaii.