The state of Hawaii has expanded concealed carry, though many public places where people can carry their firearms have also been prohibited under the governor’s watch.
Gov. Josh Brown (D) signed the legislation on Friday, which forbids people from carrying their guns to various places, including beaches, hospitals, stadiums, bars that serve alcohol, and movie theaters. If a private business wishes to allow their customers to conceal carry, they must post the proper sign informing the customers that it is allowed, according to the Associated Press.
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“On many occasions in my training back on the mainland, I was one of the physicians that took care of individuals who were victims of gun violence,” Green said before signing the measure into law. “Not only that, I lost a loved one to a suicide with a gun. And so anything that we can do, we should.”
Green has been an advocate for reducing gun violence, describing it as a public health crisis and saying action should be taken to address it.
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Green’s latest expansion on concealed carry comes after a Supreme Court ruling last year expanded gun rights for citizens, with the court saying U.S. residents have a right to carry firearms in public for self-defense. Prior to the Supreme Court’s ruling, Hawaii allowed county police chiefs to determine whether or not to issue gun owners a permit to carry; though these permits were barely issued.
Last year, the state of Hawaii was recorded to have had the second-lowest gun death rate in the U.S., trailing only Massachusetts, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
