A Historic Victory for the Second Amendment in Hawaii

News Release from HIFICO, June 25, 2026

Today is a historic day for the people of Hawaii and for everyone who believes the Constitution applies equally in every state.

The Hawaii Firearms Coalition is proud to have been a named plaintiff in the case that resulted in today’s landmark United States Supreme Court decision striking down Hawaii’s unconstitutional “default no-carry” law for private property open to the public.

This lawsuit was never about forcing firearms onto private property against an owner’s wishes. Property owners have always had—and will continue to have—the absolute right to decide whether firearms are allowed on their property.

This case was about something much different.

Hawaii attempted to reverse more than two centuries of American legal tradition by making it a crime for licensed concealed carry holders to enter virtually any business or private property open to the public unless the owner first gave express permission. Instead of allowing individual property owners to make that decision for themselves, the State imposed a blanket prohibition and turned nearly every business in Hawaii into a government-created gun-free zone by default.

Today, the Supreme Court held that the Constitution does not permit Hawaii to do that.

The Court reaffirmed that the Second Amendment protects the right of law-abiding citizens to bear arms for self-defense and that states cannot evade that right simply by rewriting property law defaults. Applying the historical test established in Bruen, the Court concluded that Hawaii failed to identify any historical tradition that justified its sweeping restriction.

Perhaps one of the most powerful moments in the opinion came when the Court rejected Hawaii’s argument that its unique culture justified a different constitutional rule:

“The Second Amendment cannot give way to the spirit of Aloha in Hawaii any more than it can yield to the spirit of the Big Apple or the Windy City.”

That statement sends a clear message: constitutional rights do not stop at Hawaii’s shoreline.

The Court also rejected Hawaii’s reliance on colonial hunting laws, an isolated Oregon statute, and even an 1865 Louisiana Black Code that was enacted to disarm newly freed slaves. The Court concluded that none of these laws established the historical tradition required to justify Hawaii’s restrictions.

This victory belongs to every law-abiding firearm owner in Hawaii who stood firm while the State continued to test the limits of the Constitution.

We want to express our sincere gratitude to our outstanding legal team. Alan Beck and Kevin O’Grady dedicated countless hours to defending the constitutional rights of Hawaii’s citizens and presented a compelling case before the highest court in the nation. Their commitment and perseverance made today’s victory possible. We also thank our fellow plaintiffs, Jason and Alison Wolford, and Atom Kasprzycki, whose willingness to stand up for their rights helped bring this case all the way to the Supreme Court. (Supreme Court⁠)

Today’s decision restores the traditional rule that has existed throughout most of our nation’s history: the decision whether to allow firearms on private property belongs to the property owner—not the government. Businesses remain free to prohibit firearms if they choose, but that decision must be theirs, not one imposed by the State of Hawaii.

While today’s victory is significant, our work is not finished.

The Hawaii Firearms Coalition will continue monitoring Hawaii’s implementation of this decision and will remain vigilant against any attempt to undermine or circumvent the constitutional protections reaffirmed today. We will continue fighting for the rights of Hawaii’s lawful firearm owners and for the principle that the Constitution means the same thing in Honolulu as it does everywhere else in the United States.

Mahalo to every member, supporter, donor, volunteer, and attorney who helped make this day possible.

Together, we made history.

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