SENATE STATE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE Soldotna, Alaska October 23, 1993 3:00 P.M. MEMBERS PRESENT Senator Loren Leman, Chairman MEMBERS ABSENT Senator Mike Miller, Vice Chairman Senator Robin Taylor Senator Johnny Ellis Senator Jim Duncan COMMITTEE CALENDAR SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 1 Proposing amendments to the Constitution of the State of Alaska relating to the individual right to keep and bear arms. SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 34 Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the State of Alaska relating to the individual right to keep and bear arms. PREVIOUS SENATE COMMITTEE ACTION SJR 1 - See State Affairs minutes dated 9/17/93 SJR 34 - See State Affairs minutes da ted 9/17/93. WITNESS REGISTER Brad Bradney P.O. Box 1601 Kenai, Alaska 99611 POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SJR 34. Wesley Jones P.O. Box 535 Seward, Alaska 99664 POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SJR 34. Michael Mooter P.O.Box 1041 Seward, Alaska 99664 POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SJR 34. Gordon Kessling P.O. Box 32 Seward, Alaska 99664 POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SJR 34. Amanuel Dabney P.O. Box 665 Soldotna, Alaska 99664 POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SJR 34. Alvin Bayer P.O. Box 2822 Homer, Alaska 99603 POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SJR 34. Tim Smith P.O. Box 4393 Soldotna, Alaska 99669 POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SJR 34. Russ Morrison P.O. Box 4623 Soldotna, Alaska 99664 POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SJR 34. Tom Vogel 2707 Wildwood Dr., #32 Kenai, Alaska 99611 POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SJR 34. Richard Dubendorf P.O. Box 67 Soldotna, Alaska 99669 POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SJR 34. Roland Cusson 295 Riverside Soldotna, Alaska 99669 POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SJR 34. Vernon Thornton P.O. Box 16 Soldotna, Alaska 99669 POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SJR 34. May Alice Hopkins P.O. Box 2191 Soldotna, Alaska 99669 POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SJR 34. Mike Mathews P.O. Box 3086 Soldotna, Alaska 99669 POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SJR 34. Henry Moser P.O. Box 697 Soldotna, Alaska 99669 POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SJR 34. Thomas Eliason P.O. Box 703 Seward, Alaska 99664 POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SJR 34. Steven H. Mussman 373 West Vine Ave. Soldotna, Alaska 99669 POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SJR 34. Bob Benedict P.O. Box 3216 Kenai, Alaska 99611 POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SJR 34. Jeneane Benedict P.O. Box 3216 Kenai, Alaska 99611 POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SJR 34. Bill Boles HCS Box 911 Soldotna, Alaska 99669 POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SJR 34. Jim Jenckes 616 Maple Dr. Kenai, Alaska 99611 POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SJR 34. Dave Bear P.O. Box 39283 Ninilchik, Alaska 99639 POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SJR 34. Mike Denison 44675 Wooded Lane Soldotna, Alaska 99669 POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SJR 34. Spencer Wyman 2800 Beaver Lp., #9 Kenai, Alaska 99611 POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SJR 34. Jim Cooper 248 W. Crest Dr. Soldotna, Alaska 99669 POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SJR 34. Ralph Dillon, Sr. P.O. Box 1023 Sterling, Alaska 99672 POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SJR 34. Kenneth Roberts P.O. Box 626 Sterling, Alaska 99672 POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SJR 34. Bill Baucum P.O. Box 1595-2 Kenai, Alaska 99611 POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SJR 34. Robert Hensler 35860 Silver Ave. Soldotna, Alaska 99669 POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SJR 34. Lee Martin P.O. Box 743 Homer, Alaska 99603 POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SJR 34. Sterling Eide P.O. Box 151 Kenai, Alaska 99611 POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SJR 34. Michael Masters HCR-1, Box 1480 Soldotna, Alaska 99669 POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SJR 34. Jim Welborn HC 01, Box 81 Kenai, Alaska 99611 POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SJR 34. Bev Welborn HC 01, Box 81 Kenai, Alaska 99611 POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SJR 34. Greg Reser 44120 McLean Ct. Soldotna, Alaska 99669 POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SJR 34. Calvin Cary P.O. Box 4153 Soldotna, Alaska 99669 POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SJR 34. James Chapman HC 1, Box 1502 Soldotna, Alaska 99669 POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SJR 34. Dianna Chapman HC 1, Box 1502 Soldotna, Alaska 99669 POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SJR 34. Gary Cadd P.O. Box 1995 Kenai, Alaska 99611 POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SJR 34. Mimi Tolva P.O. Box 2117 Homer, Alaska 99603 POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SJR 34. Shawn Roberts HC 1, Box 8225 Soldotna, Alaska 99669 POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SJR 34. ACTION NARRATIVE TAPE 93-34, SIDE A Number 001 CHAIRMAN LEMAN called the Senate State Affairs Committee meeting to order at 3:00 p.m. Due to the lack of a quorum the meeting was convened as a work session to take public testimony on SJR 1 (RIGHT TO KEEP AND BEAR ARMS) and SJR 34 (RIGHT TO KEEP AND BEAR ARMS) to be up for consideration. BRAD BRADNEY, Kenai, asked if this was the exact language that would be adopted. Senator Leman said it was possible to amend it still, but that the language fits in with the Alaska Constitution. PORTIA BABCOCK , staff for Senate State Affairs, explained the differences between the two bills. The first sections are identical, but SJR 1 has a second section which has ambiguous and risky language according to a legal opinion from LAA. SJR 34 has language that is clearer, she said, and is supported by Senator Leman, other Senators, and organizations. MR. BRADNEY opposed SJR 1 and supported SJR 34. He agreed that the language in SJR 1 was unclear. Number 175 WESLEY JONES, Seward, supported SJR 34. MICHAEL MOOTER, Seward, supported SJR 34. GORDON KESSLING, Seward, supported SJR 34. AMANUEL C. DABNEY, Soldotna, supported SJR 34. ALVIN BAYER, Homer, strongly supported SJR 34. TIM SMITH, Soldotna, supported SJR 34. R U SS MORRISON, Soldotna, supported SJR 34. Number 217 TOM VOGEL, Kenai, supported SJR 34. Number 370 RICHARD DUBENDORF, Soldotna, supported SJR 34. He asked why the language was needed for court support of law enforcement. MS. BABCOCK answered that at the time the leadership decided they would not go any further with the bill without the support of the Chief of Police, the Governor, and the Department of Law. They felt this language was needed. ROLAND CUSSON, Soldotna, supported SJR 34. Number 425 VERNON THORNTON, Soldotna, supported SJR 34. MAY ALICE HOPKINS, Soldotna, supported SJR 34. MIKE MATHEWS, Soldotna, supported SJR 34. He said the idea was to clarify the right to bear arms which SJR 34 does best. Number 475 HENRY MOSER, Soldotna, supported SJR 34. THOMAS ELIASON, Seward, supported SJR 34. STEVEN H. MUSSMAN, Soldotna, supported SJR 34. BOB BENEDICT, Kenai, supported SJR 34. He said that he has helped catch two burglars, and it was only because he had a gun. The bad guys have them and the good guys need them too. He suggested we enact laws like England has that give ten years at the start just for using a gun and then add on the penalty for the crime besides. JENEANE BENEDICT, Kenai, supported SJR 34. She said she always carries a hand gun to protect her life. TAPE 93-34, SIDE B Number 001 BILL BOLES, Soldotna, supported SJR 34. JIM JENCKES, Kenai, supported SJR 34, because SJR 1 is not compatible with the federal constitution. DAVE BEAR, Ninilchik, strongly supported SJR 34. Number 100 MIKE DENISON, Soldotna, supported SJR 34. SPENCER WYMAN, Kenai, strongly supported SJR 34. JIM COOPER , Soldotna, strongly supported SJR 34. RALPH DILLON, SR., Sterling, strongly supported SJR 34. He said he started taking his kids hunting when they were 5 years old and he taught them the right way to use a gun. KENNETH ROBERTS, Sterling, strongly supported SJR 34. BILL BAUCUM, Kenai, supported SJR 34. ROBERT HENSLER, Soldotna, supported SJR 34. He said he sells firearms. Number 200 LEE MARTIN, Homer, strongly supported SJR 34. STERLING EIDE, Kenai, supported SJR 34. MICHAEL MASTERS, Soldotna, strongly supported SJR 34. JIM WELBORN, Kenai, supported SJR 34. BEV WELBORN, Kenai, supported SJR 34. She said she wanted to be able to protect herself and her three daughters while her husband was gone. GREG RESER, Soldotna, supported SJR 34 and opposed SJR 1. Number 350 CALVIN CARY, Soldotna, supported SJR 34. JAMES CHAPMAN, Soldotna, supported SJR 34. DIANNA CHAPMAN, Soldotna, supported SJR 34. Number 425 GARY CADD, Kenai, supported SJR 34. He said that our freedoms are under attack nationally. He noted that the Alaska State Constitution did not contain a legal description of the State and so the federal government could override state authority. MIMI TOLVA, Homer, supported SJR 34 and opposed SJR 1. Number 500 SHAWN ROBERTS, Soldotna, supported SJR 34. TAPE 93-35, SIDE A Number 001 JIM WELBORN said there would be a problem getting guns away from people if a law was passed against them. He was concerned that prohibiting arms contributed subtly to the concept of a "world order" which is explained in a book called The Order. SENATOR LEMAN thanked everyone for their participation and adjourned the meeting at 5:00 p.m.