Mayor signs three bills enhancing public safety across Oʻahu
News Release from Office of the Mayor, June 20, 2025
WAIʻANAE – During a ceremony Thursday at the Honolulu Police Department’s (HPD) Waiʻanae Substation, Mayor Blangiardi signed three bills that will enable City agencies to crack down on illegal game rooms more effectively, a critical step forward in the ongoing effort to address public safety concerns in West Oʻahu — and especially along the Waiʻanae Coast.
Bill 11 (2025), CD2, FD1 targets video amusement devices which can be used to conceal gambling; Bill 12 (2025), will allow the Department of Planning and Permitting and HPD to coordinate in code enforcement for gambling-related nuisances; and Bill 13 (2025), CD1 lets landlords request that an HPD officer accompany them during a property inspection.
“These bills will bring to bear the authority and power of City agencies to aggressively attack the illegal and insidious game rooms that are so harmful to our communities,” said Mayor Rick Blangiardi. “We have made a commitment to ensure our West Oʻahu neighborhoods are safe and protected for all of our friends and family who live here. Signing these bills shows how seriously we take that responsibility.”
“Today marks a turning point for public safety on the Westside and across Oʻahu. These new laws give HPD the tools they need to shut down illegal game rooms faster, protect our neighborhoods, and support property owners who’ve been caught in the middle for too long,” said Honolulu City Council Vice Chair Andria Tupola. “This was a collaborative effort, and I’m grateful for the Mayor’s support and the Council’s action to move us forward.”
“This has been a long road, starting with Bills 57 and 58 in 2023 and the game room task force in 2024, and we are here today to celebrate getting Bills 11, 12, and 13 over the finish line,” said Councilmember Tyler Dos Santos-Tam. “Too many Oʻahu families have been feeling unsafe in their own neighborhoods with the proliferation of illegal game rooms throughout the island. Our communities have been saying loud and clear: NO to game rooms, and NO to the violence, drugs, and vices that they bring. It’s now the time to match our advocacy with action — let’s take down these game rooms and reclaim our communities.”
Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney Steve Alm was also present at the event along with State Sen. Samantha DeCorte, State Rep. Darius Kila, State Rep. Chris Muraoka, and HPD Maj. Gail Beckley, to show their support for these bills and what they mean for the West Oʻahu community.
Links to all three bills are available below:
—PAU—
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