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Amid mounting legal challenges, Hawaii allows open carry of formerly banned blades

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Amid mounting legal challenges, Hawaii allows open carry of formerly banned blades


HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – As of Monday, it is no longer illegal in Hawaii to carry a dangerous weapon in public — and switchblade and butterfly knives are no longer banned.

That change led to an alarming sight in Waikiki at sunset Tuesday.

The governor signed HB 2342 into law Monday without fanfare, making it immediately legal to openly carry weapons that were banned in public until now.

Gun rights activist Andrew Namiki Roberts, leader of the Hawaii Firearms Coalition, decided to celebrate in a very visual way, brandishing medieval bladed weapons in a public park.

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Video of the display was posted on the Coalition’s Facebook page.

“I can be down here with my halberd, walk around with it, and not break the law,” Roberts said, in the video. “I also have an 18-inch Viking axe, perfectly legal.

“The other thing that’s now legal was switch blades and butterfly knives you can own possess and carry them as long as it’s done openly.”

Attorney Alan Beck, who has represented Hawaii gun owners in lawsuits against the state and county’s gun control laws, is in the process of challenging the state’s ban on switchblade and butterfly knives. He said the new law was designed to blunt that lawsuit, by partially loosening the restrictions.

“You can now open carry any dangerous and deadly weapon. And the law now only prohibits the concealed carry of those weapons,” Beck said.

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State Solicitor General Kaliko’onālani Fernandes, who represents the Attorney General in appeals courts, said despite the loosening of some restrictions, existing laws can protect the public.

“It’s a serious crime, both before and after this bill, to carry a weapon in a manner that threatens or terrorizes others,” she said.

Roberts emphasized in his video that he had no intention of using the weapons to scare anyone, even though he admitted they were frightening.

“It’s 6 foot tall. It’s basically a spear, axe, hook all at once. It scares the bejesus out of me. It really, really, really does. But it’s perfectly legal for me to carry as long as I do so safely,” he said, in the video.

In hearings on the bill, the attorney general said the change was to modernize and align Hawaii’s concealed weapons laws with other places and court rulings.

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But some testifiers said it didn’t make any sense to legalize knives only to carry them in public.

Michael Rice, who appeared via Zoom from his home, used a small knife on a clip inside his shirt to explain.

“This is concealed — so, that’s a felony. Now this isn’t concealed. You know, if I’m running down the street with a butterfly knife in my hands, does that make it any better than if I just got it slipped in my pocket?” Rice said.

The new law also says people who legally carry concealed firearms will face felony charges if they commit even a minor crime, like driving without a license.

The state Public Defender’s office, represented by Jerry Villanueva, found itself allied with gun owners in questioning the language of the proposal, which didn’t seem to provide exemptions for crimes not related to the firearm.

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“But if they are validly in possession of a firearm, but they’re driving without a valid driver’s license as a misdemeanor, then they also could face a Class C felony,” Villanueva said.

But prosecutors and the state Attorney General’s Office said there would have to be some relationship between the firearm and the crime to trigger the higher charge.

“For decades, it’s been a felony under state law, to possess a firearm while committing a crime,” Fernandes said. “So this bill does not meaningfully change the scope of that existing prohibition.”

Beck called on the attorney general to publicly clarify how the new law will be enforced, but Fernandes said could not comment on specific hypotheticals.

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Hawaii

Government overreach cited as HAB calls out Gov. Green

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Government overreach cited as HAB calls out Gov. Green


HONOLULU (KHON2) — The Hawaii Association of Broadcasters is calling out Governor Josh Green over his intent to veto “a legislative bill that addresses an outdated state statute that allows a mayor or the Governor to suspend the transmission of electronic media during a state of emergency.”

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Currently the Governor or County Mayor may shut off utilities or suspend services and electronic media transmission–to the extent permitted by or under federal law.

However, suspending electronic media transmission by state or county authorities is not permitted under any federal law, according to HAB.

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“ʻElectronic mediaʻ as described in HRS §127A potentially includes radio, television, internet, cable, cell service, text messaging and social media transmissions.”

“The Governor or Mayors’ ability to suspend any and all ‘electronic media transmissions’ during a state of emergency creates a clear prior restraint on lawful free speech and publication and violates the First Amendment as upheld by the United States Supreme Court,” says Chris Leonard, President of the Hawaii Association of Broadcasters. “The current statute clearly represents government overreach in granting the state and county government a ‘blank check’ to shut down all electronic media transmission without providing an explanation for why this is necessary, what systems are affected, for how long, and how decisions would be made.”

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Another version of HB 2581 does not include language allowing the Governor and Mayoral powers to suspend electronic media transmission in a state of emergency.

“We are very concerned that we have a law on the books that jeopardizes public safety and our ability to deliver a vital lifeline to the public,” says Leonard. “A simple edit to HRS § 127A will allow us to continue to deliver potentially life-saving information and keep our communities informed during a state of emergency, a time when we need more, not less communication.”

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Hawaii Adopts Fines For Excise, Rental Tax Reporting Failures – Law360 Tax Authority

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Hawaii Adopts Fines For Excise, Rental Tax Reporting Failures – Law360 Tax Authority


By Zak Kostro · June 25, 2024, 6:57 PM EDT

Hawaii will impose fines for failures to comply with the reporting requirements of the state’s general excise tax and transient accommodations tax laws as part of a bill signed by the…

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California mother is arrested for confronting drag queens at Hawaii hotel over ‘inappropriate’ Pride show

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California mother is arrested for confronting drag queens at Hawaii hotel over ‘inappropriate’ Pride show


A University of California Davis employee was briefly detained after she was seen aggressively confronting drag performers at a resort in Hawaii.

Beth Bourne, a program director at UC Davis’ Institute of Transportation Studies, was filmed raging at drag queens after she spotted them at the Alohilani Resort in Waikīkī, where they were to perform for a pride event.

Bourne, who is a leader for the conservative group Moms for Liberty, became enraged after she spotted the drag queens in the lobby, and accused the hotel of failing to provide a safe environment for her son.

Beth Bourne, a program director at UC Davis’ Institute of Transportation Studies, was filmed raging at drag queens after she spotted them at the Alohilani Resort in Waikīkī

‘I’m sorry but I paid to be a customer at a hotel where I thought you believe that women were for real,’ the activist yelled as she held her phone up to record the drag queens.

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‘Because you put on make-up, you’re wearing high heels, you have a Barbie outfit on – you don’t think this is degrading.

She added: ‘This is misogyny… if you give me back my money right now, I will leave the hotel, but I’m not going to have my children come down from the 30th floor and see what’s happening here.’

Bourne then asked the performers their names, saying she wants to know who they are as a hotel employee attempts to escort her away.

‘Are you a man?’ she asked one of them. ‘What do you think about my son who might think that he can put on make-up and fancy clothing and high heels and have his penis cut off and take estrogen so he can grow fake boobs?’ 

One of the performers, who goes by Marina Del Rey, shared video of the incident on social media, saying Bourne attacked his group.

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One of the performers, who goes by Marina Del Rey, shared video of the incident on social media, saying Bourne attacked his group

One of the performers, who goes by Marina Del Rey, shared video of the incident on social media, saying Bourne attacked his group

He said on Instagram: ‘There was prior dialog from her ahead of what I filmed and ultimately she was taken off the property by the police.

‘I would like to say a huge THANK U to the resort for your care and concerns during and after, to all of us…. those within witness – guest or staff – many extended compassion of which I’m very very grateful…

‘We are all okay. A little shook & saddened but grateful to the people we were in the company of and everyone who reached out. and still keeping faith in humanity.’

Marina Del Rey explained the group was in the lobby to film a video that saw them playing roles as hotel staff.

‘This woman saw us filming and came to a slow burn and then she popped off. Her rant went on and on – possibly with the attempt to get a riled angered response,’ the performer added.

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Bourne became an anti-trans activist following the rupture of her relationship with her nonbinary eldest of two child

Bourne became an anti-trans activist following the rupture of her relationship with her nonbinary eldest of two child

DailyMail.com has reached out to UC Davis and the Alohilani Resort for comment on this story.

Many social media users have demanded that Bourne be fired from UC Davis following her recorded actions.

Elaine Vinton said on Facebook: ‘To all of my CA friends, I am urging you to contact UC Davis Human Resources, and lodge a complaint for their employment of Beth Bourne, the chairwoman of Moms For Liberty, Davis CA. 

‘She is harassing students and staff, quoting UC Davis’s practice of cutting of the penises of male children, among other practices. She is an unhinged bigot threatening the LGBTQ+ Community. Please make a call!’

Bourne is a controversial figure and claims without evidence on her social media accounts that ‘1/22 kids is trans’ at UC Davis.

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Responding to the video on X, Bourne wrote: ‘I am not okay with children being exposed to drag queens. 

The performers were at the hotel to participate in a brunch for Pride month

The performers were at the hotel to participate in a brunch for Pride month

‘Several other Alohilani hotel guests told me they also found it offensive so I spoke up to the manager yesterday. I was briefly detained by police, refunded my hotel charges, and have no regrets for speaking up. 

‘If we can be heard, this will end.’

Bourne became an anti-trans activist following the rupture of her relationship with her nonbinary eldest of two child.

Lily, 18, came out as nonbinary five years ago, moving out of Bourne’s home in their junior year of high school after clashes over their gender identity, as reported by The Sacramento Bee. 

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