Maui County is cracking down on the public use of replica and air guns.
Bill 169 passed through the Maui County Council on Tuesday.
In public, air guns will need to be unloaded and in a container. Replica guns will also become illegal to brandish in public. This misdemeanor charge could include a $500 fine, or up to one year in prison.
The use and display of air guns and replica guns would still be allowed within the home and at a range for purposes of legal hunting, paintball and historical or educational occasions.
The bill was introduced at the request of the Maui Police Department back in 2022.
From January 2020 to March 2021, more than 25 air or replica guns were recovered by the Crime Reduction Unit, according to the department. Maui Police say that each case was eventually tied to the possession or distribution of narcotics.
The legislation was based on by those in Honolulu, Councilmember Tamara Paltin said. In the future, she would like to propose statewide legislation to make it a felony for convicted individuals to possess or purchase an air or replica gun.
The ordinance will take effect in Maui this November.
