ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE  SENATE STATE AFFAIRS STANDING COMMITTEE  February 23, 2006 3:42 p.m. MEMBERS PRESENT Senator Gene Therriault, Chair Senator Charlie Huggins Senator Kim Elton MEMBERS ABSENT  Senator Thomas Wagoner, Vice Chair Senator Bettye Davis COMMITTEE CALENDAR SENATE BILL NO. 290 "An Act relating to reimbursement of premiums for Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance paid by members of the Alaska National Guard deployed to a combat zone; and providing for an effective date." MOVED CSSB 290(STA) OUT OF COMMITTEE SENATE BILL NO. 274 "An Act relating to the disposition of surplus firearms by the state." HEARD AND HELD PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION BILL: SB 290 SHORT TITLE: LIFE INSURANCE FOR NATIONAL GUARD SPONSOR(s): SENATOR(s) HUGGINS 02/14/06 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS 02/14/06 (S) STA, FIN 02/14/06 (S) STA AT 3:30 PM BUTROVICH 205 02/14/06 (S) Heard & Held 02/14/06 (S) MINUTE(STA) 02/23/06 (S) STA AT 3:30 PM BELTZ 211 BILL: SB 274 SHORT TITLE: STATE FIREARM DISPOSAL AND INVENTORY SPONSOR(s): SENATOR(s) DYSON 02/09/06 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS 02/09/06 (S) STA, FIN 02/14/06 (S) STA AT 3:30 PM BUTROVICH 205 02/14/06 (S) 02/23/06 (S) STA AT 3:30 PM BELTZ 211 WITNESS REGISTER Josh Temple, Staff Senator Charlie Huggins Alaska State Capitol Juneau, AK 99801-1182 POSITION STATEMENT: Explained proposed changes to SB 290 for sponsor Wes Keller, Staff Senator Fred Dyson Alaska State Capitol Juneau, AK 99801-1182 POSITION STATEMENT: Introduced SB 274 for sponsor John Cramer, Director Administrative Services Division Department of Military & Veterans Affairs PO Box 5800 Ft. Richardson, AK 99505-0800 POSITION STATEMENT: Clarified a previous statement related to SB 274 Brian Judy National Rifle Association POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SB 274 ACTION NARRATIVE CHAIR GENE THERRIAULT called the Senate State Affairs Standing Committee meeting to order at 3:42:44 PM. Present were Senators Charlie Huggins, Kim Elton, and Chair Gene Therriault. SB 290-LIFE INSURANCE FOR NATIONAL GUARD    3:42:55 PM CHAIR GENE THERRIAULT announced SB 290 to be up for consideration. Without objection he moved \F version committee substitute (CS) as the working document. He asked Mr. Temple to come forward and explain the changes. 3:43:24 PM JOSH TEMPLE, Staff to Senator Huggins, addressed the following changes to SB 290: language was added so the funds would not be swept into the CBR; provisions for complementary hunting and fishing licenses were incorporated; the retroactive date was changed to January 1, 2005; and a two year cutoff was established for hunting and fishing licenses. CHAIR THERRIAULT read the language on page 2, lines 7-9 related to the complementary license. MR. TEMPLE read page 2, lines 9-12. SENATOR HUGGINS stated that from a bookkeeping standpoint, it's smart to establish a cutoff date for the reimbursement and if that isn't included in the CS it could be inserted. CHAIR THERRIAULT said he wouldn't object to him working on that before the bill moved to the Finance Committee. CHAIR THERRIAULT asked Mr. Cramer to comment on the changes. JOHN CRAMER, Administrative Services Director for the Department of Military & Veterans Affairs (DMVA), advised that the original language would not prevent the funds from being swept, but the drafters included language in the CS to clarify that point. CHAIR THERRIAULT called a brief at ease at3:48:10 PM. CHAIR THERRIAULT reconvened the meeting and asked for a motion. 3:48:29 PM SENATOR HUGGINS motioned to report CSSB 290(STA), \F version, from committee with individual recommendations and attached fiscal notes. CHAIR THERRIAULT announced that without objection CSSB 290(STA) would move from committee and that updated fiscal notes from the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs and the Department of Fish and Game would be prepared and passed along to the Finance Committee. SB 274-STATE FIREARM DISPOSAL AND INVENTORY  CHAIR GENE THERRIAULT announced SB 274 to be the next order of business. 3:49:07 PM WES KELLER, Staff to Senator Fred Dyson, explained that SB 274 relates to the disposition of firearms by the state. It requires that forfeited, surplus or recovered and unclaimed firearms and ammunition be sold by auction that is open to the public. He advised that the sponsor would like to offer a committee substitute (CS) at a subsequent hearing. It would: include recommendations from the Department of Public Safety (DPS); limit the liability of the department regarding firearm sales; and delete from version G all language in Section 1 after the word "dealers" [line 7] and insert "any firearm that cannot be legally sold under state and federal law shall be dismantled for sale of legal parts or donated to a museum and that illegal parts of firearms shall be destroyed." 3:51:04 PM CHAIR THERRIAULT asked if DPS would testify at a subsequent hearing. MR. KELLER said yes and that Mr. Judy with the NRA was available to testify today. 3:51:27 PM BRIAN JUDY, National Rifle Association (NRA), stated strong support for the concept of SB 290. The NRA position is that people who can legally possess firearms should be able to participate in state firearms auctions. With regard to the suggested amendment he informed members that the only firearms that are illegal are those that have had the serial number modified in some way and the NRA would like all legal firearms to be available for auction. He wasn't sure what would constitute an unserviceable firearm, but those would certainly have some value to a collector or for parts so they could potentially generate revenue for the state. Finally, the NRA would like to suggest that local governments that are seizing and retaining firearms for evidence and other reasons ought to be required to sell them at auction when they are no longer needed for evidentiary or other purposes. 3:55:05 PM AUSTIN MAHALKEY, Glennallen, stated support for selling firearm parts rather than destroying them. 3:55:56 PM CHAIR THERRIAULT announced he would hold SB 274 in committee at the sponsor's request. There being no further business to come before the committee, Chair Therriault adjourned the meeting at 3:56:14 PM.