Hawaii lawmakers, never ones to let a Supreme Court smackdown slow their roll, have rammed through an Anti-Wolford bill that’s basically a middle finger to the recent oral arguments in Wolford v. Lopez. For the uninitiated, Wolford challenges Hawaii’s infamous vampire rule—a draconian regulation that forces gun owners to renew their permits every year, complete with fresh fingerprints, photos, and fees, or watch their Second Amendment rights bleed out at sunrise. The Supreme Court just grilled Hawaii’s attorneys on this nonsense last month, with justices like Thomas and Gorsuch zeroing in on how it turns a fundamental right into a bureaucratic nightmare. But instead of pausing for breath, Hawaii’s Senate Public Safety Committee unanimously passed SB 3339 on January 29, explicitly designed to codify and expand these renewal requirements, slapping on new mandates for live-fire training and mental health checks to clarify what the law already demands. It’s legislative panic-buying at its finest—racing to entrench the vampire rule before SCOTUS potentially drives a stake through it.
This isn’t just Hawaii being Hawaii; it’s a masterclass in preemptive defiance that should have every 2A advocate’s radar pinging red. Think about the implications: if Wolford strikes down the renewal scheme as the unconstitutional poll tax it resembles (echoing the $10 stamp tax gutted in Murdock v. Pennsylvania back in 1943), Hawaii’s bill tries to rebuild the coffin bigger and stronger, potentially forcing a sequel case or even inviting certiorari on steroids. It’s a signal to deep-blue states everywhere—California, New York, New Jersey—that Bruen’s text, history, and tradition test isn’t scaring them off; it’s goading them into doubling down with safety valve laws dressed up as clarifications. For the 2A community, this means ramping up amicus briefs, funding challenges through groups like FPC or GOA, and pressuring swing-state legislatures to pass reciprocity or constitutional carry as countermeasures. Wolford could be the garlic to Hawaii’s vampires, but only if we keep the pressure on—stay vigilant, brothers and sisters, because paradise just declared open season on your rights.
The bigger picture? This bill exposes the fragility of judicial wins without legislative armor. Post-Bruen, we’ve seen over 30 states expand carry rights, but anti-2A enclaves like Hawaii are betting SCOTUS blinks. Spoiler: it won’t. Track SB 3339’s path through the House, hit up your reps (even if you’re not local—national orgs amplify), and remember: every clarification like this is a test of our resolve. Wolford’s oral args showed the Court’s impatience with games; let’s make sure Hawaii pays the tab.
