The Honolulu City Council will hold a special meeting Tuesday to consider Mayor Rick Blangiardi’s proposed legislation to protect sensitive places where carrying concealed firearms will be restricted.

More than 300 people have already provided online written testimony on Bill 57, prior to the 10 a.m. meeting in third floor council chambers at Honolulu Hale.

Hawaii has traditionally been very strict on issuing concealed gun permits and had some of the lowest violent crimes rates in the nation, but a U.S. Supreme Court ruling in June invalidated a 170-year-old law in Hawaii that required firearms permit applicants to prove a special need to carry a concealed gun.

The high court ruled that a New York concealed-carry weapons law was unconstitutional and expanded gun owners’ right to carry firearms outside the home. However, the court allowed that jurisdictions could restrict concealed gun carry in sensitive areas leading to new laws across the county defining where guns would not be permitted.

Testimony Available Online

As of 5 p.m. Monday 60 people had given testimony supporting the bill, 196 in opposition, with 44 submitting comments.

According to the bill, sensitive places are defined as “all areas in or on city-owned or controlled businesses and offices,” but there are exclusions.

These include dwellings not used for child care, the Koko Head Shooting Complex, scheduled firearms shows at the Blaisdell Center or other city-owned buildings; all federal and state-owned buildings excluding dwellings not used for child care; all schools, child care facilities and places frequented by children; all voter service centers and public transportation and areas within 100 feet of the outer edge of groups of 25 or more people gathered in a public space to express their free speech rights.

Carrying a concealed weapon on any business or charity property would be prohibited unless given express permission.