03/02/2023 03:00 PM House STATE AFFAIRS
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HJR3 | |
| HB8 | |
| Adjourn |
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| += | HJR 3 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 8 | TELECONFERENCED | |
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
HOUSE STATE AFFAIRS STANDING COMMITTEE
March 2, 2023
3:02 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Laddie Shaw, Chair
Representative Stanley Wright, Vice Chair
Representative Ben Carpenter
Representative Craig Johnson
Representative Jamie Allard
Representative Jennie Armstrong
MEMBERS ABSENT
Representative Andi Story
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 3
Encouraging Congress to pass the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act
or a similar bill.
- HEARD & HELD
HOUSE BILL NO. 8
"An Act relating to electric-assisted bicycles."
- MOVED HB 8 OUT OF COMMITTEE
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: HJR 3
SHORT TITLE: CONCEALED HANDGUN RECIPROCITY B/W STATES
SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) RAUSCHER
02/01/23 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
02/01/23 (H) JUD, STA
02/10/23 (H) JUD AT 1:30 PM GRUENBERG 120
02/10/23 (H) Heard & Held
02/10/23 (H) MINUTE(JUD)
02/17/23 (H) JUD AT 1:30 PM GRUENBERG 120
02/17/23 (H) Moved CSHJR 3(JUD) Out of Committee
02/17/23 (H) MINUTE(JUD)
02/20/23 (H) JUD RPT CS(JUD) 3DP 4NR
02/20/23 (H) DP: C.JOHNSON, GROH, VANCE
02/20/23 (H) NR: CARPENTER, EASTMAN, GRAY, ALLARD
02/28/23 (H) STA AT 3:00 PM GRUENBERG 120
02/28/23 (H) Scheduled but Not Heard
03/02/23 (H) STA AT 3:00 PM GRUENBERG 120
BILL: HB 8
SHORT TITLE: ELECTRIC-ASSISTED BICYCLES
SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) CARRICK
01/09/23 (H) PREFILE RELEASED 1/9/23
01/19/23 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
01/19/23 (H) STA, L&C, TRA
02/23/23 (H) STA AT 3:00 PM GRUENBERG 120
02/23/23 (H) Heard & Held
02/23/23 (H) MINUTE(STA)
02/27/23 (H) L&C REFERRAL REMOVED
02/27/23 (H) BILL REPRINTED
03/02/23 (H) STA AT 3:00 PM GRUENBERG 120
WITNESS REGISTER
REPRESENTATIVE GEORGE RAUSCHER
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Introduced CSHJR 3(JUD), as the prime
sponsor.
RYAN MCKEE, Staff
Representative George Rauscher
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Answered questions pertaining to CSHJR
3(JUD), on behalf of Representative Rauscher, prime sponsor.
REPRESENTATIVE ASHLEY CARRICK
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Answered questions during the hearing on HB
8, as the prime sponsor.
ACTION NARRATIVE
3:02:09 PM
CHAIR LADDIE SHAW called the House State Affairs Standing
Committee meeting to order at 3:02 p.m. Representatives
Carpenter, C. Johnson, Allard, Armstrong, Wright, and Shaw were
present at the call to order.
HJR 3-CONCEALED HANDGUN RECIPROCITY B/W STATES
3:02:48 PM
CHAIR SHAW announced that the first order of business would be
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 3, "Encouraging Congress to pass the
Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act or a similar bill." [Before the
committee was CSHJR 3(JUD).]
3:03:17 PM
REPRESENTATIVE GEORGE RAUSCHER, Alaska State Legislature, prime
sponsor of CSHJR 3(JUD), presented the sponsor statement
[included in the committee packet], which read as follows
[original punctuation provided]:
House Joint Resolution 3 would encourage Congress to
amend the federal criminal code to allow an individual
who is qualified to carry or possess a concealed
handgun in one state to be allowed to also carry or
possess a concealed handgun in another state that also
allows individuals to carry concealed firearms.
This Resolution would also request that Congress enact
the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act (H.R. 38) from the
117th Congress, or a similar bill.
REPRESENTATIVE RAUSCHER referenced a document, titled "5 reasons
to support National Reciprocity" [included in the committee
packet], which listed the following contentions: exercising a
right shouldn't be contingent upon what state you're in; you
don't want to be an accidental criminal; concealed carry permit
holders are among the most law-abiding citizens in the country;
reciprocity can change frequently with little notice; and law-
abiding concealed carriers can protect you in all 50 states. He
deferred to his staff, Mr. McKee, for additional information.
3:06:46 PM
RYAN MCKEE, Staff, Representative George Rauscher, Alaska State
Legislature, provided an overview of questions and discussion
points from the previous committee of referral, on behalf of
Representative Rauscher, prime sponsor of CSHJR 3(JUD). He
clarified that a person traveling with a valid concealed carry
permit from his/her home state would be required to abide by the
rules of the destination state.
CHAIR SHAW invited questions from members of the committee.
3:08:14 PM
REPRESENTATIVE ARMSTRONG inquired about the genesis of HJR 3.
REPRESENTATIVE RAUSCHER stated that the proposed resolution was
not created in response to any particular event. He explained
that the impetus of HJR 3 was to help those with concealed carry
permits travel freely from state to state without being required
to "re-test" [for a valid permit] in each state.
REPRESENTATIVE ARMSTRONG considered the example of an Alaskan
who wanted to carry concealed in Montana for the purpose of
hunting. She asked the sponsor to explain the process by which
that individual could carry concealed.
REPRESENTATIVE RAUSCHER indicated that some states required
hunters to send their firearms through a dealer when traveling.
He added that each state had varying requirements for
transporting firearms.
REPRESENTATIVE WRIGHT expressed his appreciation for the
legislation, as a former military service member.
3:11:18 PM
CHAIR SHAW opened public testimony on HJR 3. After ascertaining
that no one online or in person wished to testify, he closed
public testimony.
REPRESENTATIVE RAUSCHER provided closing remarks and thanked the
committee.
3:12:29 PM
CHAIR SHAW announced that HJR 3 would be held over.
HB 8-ELECTRIC-ASSISTED BICYCLES
3:12:53 PM
CHAIR SHAW announced that the final order of business would be
HOUSE BILL NO. 8, "An Act relating to electric-assisted
bicycles."
3:13:30 PM
REPRESENTATIVE ASHLEY CARRICK, Alaska State Legislature, prime
sponsor, welcomed questions from members of the committee.
REPRESENTATIVE ALLARD asked why electric assisted scooters were
excluded from the bill.
REPRESENTATIVE CARRICK explained that when the legislation was
initially drafted roughly five years ago, electric assisted
bicycles "e-bikes" were an emerging area of recreation and
transportation. She stated that the bill was drafted in
response to the need for a clear statutory definition of e-bike.
She observed that electric assisted scooters were a less
lucrative form of recreation in Alaska.
REPRESENTATIVE ALLARD asked whether e-bikes could be used for
hunting.
REPRESENTATIVE CARRICK clarified that the purpose of HB 8 was to
classify e-bikes as bicycles, thereby allowing them to be
operated in the same places as bicycles. Consequently, she
opined that if bicycles could be used for hunting, so too could
e-bikes. She reiterated that the goal was to define e-bikes in
statute and provide further clarification with the three-tier
classification system allowing the Department of Natural
Resources (DNR) and municipalities to further regulate their
usage.
3:17:50 PM
CHAIR SHAW shared a personal anecdote and asked whether bicycle
charging stations would be placed in different locations in the
future.
REPRESENTATIVE CARRICK said, "I don't think so." She shared her
understanding that e-bikes were self-contained systems, adding
that they could be re-charged via pedaling.
3:18:57 PM
REPRESENTATIVE C. JOHNSON pointed out that the Tony Knowles
Coastal Trail in Anchorage restricted the use of motorized
vehicles. He sought to verify that the bill would effectually
declassify e-bikes as "motorized," thereby allowing their usage
on trails.
REPRESENTATIVE CARRICK reported that the Municipality of
Anchorage (MOA) adopted the same three-class definition of e-
bike proposed in HB 8; therefore, e-bikes were allowed on any
non-motorized trail system in Anchorage, including the Tony
Knowles Coastal Trail. She pointed out that the MOA could
choose to further regulate e-bikes by restricting their usage to
less than 28 mph with full assist on a class 3 bike, for
example.
3:20:25 PM
REPRESENTATIVE WRIGHT moved to report HB 8 out of committee with
individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes.
There being no objection, HB 8 was reported out of the House
State Affairs Standing Committee.
3:20:41 PM
The committee took a brief at-ease.
3:20:50 PM
CHAIR SHAW offered closing remarks.
3:21:08 PM
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committee, the House
State Affairs Standing Committee meeting was adjourned at 3:21
p.m.
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