Wolford v. Lopez · ¶98
Under Hawaii’s new default rule, no licensed individual (with narrow exceptions) can carry a gun onto someone else’s property, even if it is held open to the public, without express and unambiguous authorization. Haw. Rev. Stat. §134–9.5(a) (2023). Hawaii explains that this law reflects Hawaiians’ aversion to the public carry of weapons—an attitude reinforced by almost two centuries of restrictive gun laws. See 2023 Haw. Sess. Laws 114 (explaining that the default rule was enacted “based on the legislature’s assessment of public sentiment and broadly shared preferences within the State”); Brief for Respondent 6–7, 21–22. The State represents that Hawaiians do not think that people should be able to carry guns onto private property— even if it is held open to the public—unless they obtain express consent. See id., at 6. In fact, the overwhelming majority of Hawaiians agree that “loaded,…Read in context ›
slip opinion
Source edition
Passage preview. Read in context for the complete text, notes and references.