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The Maui News
More than 5,000 firearms were registered in Maui County last year for a 12 percent increase over 2015, according to a report by the state Department of the Attorney General.
Of the 5,660 firearms registered in the county in 2016, 2,403, or 42 percent, were imported from outside the state, according to the Firearm Registrations in Hawaii, 2016 report. The other 3,257 firearms were transferred to new owners after being previously registered in the state.
The Maui County statistics followed a statewide trend of increased firearm registrations from 2015 to 2016. There were 53,400 firearms registered statewide last year, up from 46,813 for a 14 percent increase.
Statewide last year, 21,408 personal or private firearm permit applications were processed for an 8.4 percent increase from the 19,752 applications processed in 2015. In 2016, 95.7 percent of applications were approved and permits were issued, 2.8 percent were approved but voided after applicants didn't return their permits within the specified time period; and 1.5 percent were denied because of disqualifying factors.
Of the 328 permit applications denied for cause, 44.8 percent were denied for mental incompetence or impairment, 37.8 percent for criminal offenses, 13.4 percent for domestic violence, 4.9 percent for drug offenses, 3.4 percent for restraining or protective orders, 3.4 percent for other disqualifying factors and 0.9 percent for a disqualifying juvenile offense.
The numbers don't total 100 percent because of multiple reasons for some denials.
In Maui County last year, 2,980 firearm permit applications were processed for a nearly 37 percent increase over 2,178 applications processed in 2015.