Hawaii's 'Red Flag' Law Is Rarely Used. A New Bill Aims to Change That.
By Cam Edwards | 8:30 AM | March 08, 2026
The life cycle of a "red flag" law generally looks something like this:
- The law is proposed, with supporters arguing that it will be rarely used and only in those circumstances where law enforcement (and perhaps family members) know that someone's gun ownership poses a danger to themselves or others.
- The law is implemented, and is, in fact rarely used.
- Those same supporters argue that the law isn't being used enough, so the pool of eligible petitioners needs to be expanded to include teachers, employers, mental health professionals, prosecutors, dating partners, roommates, etc.
When that still doesn't generate enough petitions, the state steps in to require the use of petitions wherever possible (as New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has done) and/or starts spending money to "raise awareness" of the law in the hopes that it will lead to more "red flag" petitions and orders.
https://bearingarms.com/camedwards/2026/03/08/hawaiis-red-flag-law-is-rarely-used-a-new-bill-aims-to-change-that-n1231794
