05/05/2003 01:07 PM Senate JUD

              CSSSHB 177(STA) -CONCEALED HANDGUNS                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR RALPH SEEKINS called the Senate Judiciary Standing                                                                      
Committee meeting to order at 1:07 p.m. Present were Senators                                                                   
Therriault,  French  and  Chair   Seekins.  The  first  order  of                                                               
business to come before the committee was HB 177.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
MS.  BARBARA  BITNEY,  staff   to  Representative  Bill  Stoltze,                                                               
sponsor of HB  177, said this was similar to  SB 152, except that                                                               
on line  14, "that have  the legal  authority to enter  into such                                                               
agreements" is  inserted. HB 177 creates  concealed carry permits                                                               
to  allow for  recognition in  all  other states.  It corrects  a                                                               
situation  that was  created with  2002  legislation where  Texas                                                               
couldn't recognize Alaska's concealed carry permits.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR FRENCH  asked if  there are any  other states  that don't                                                               
have reciprocity agreements.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MS. BITNEY  said Alaska has  created reciprocity  agreements with                                                               
states that have statutes that  are similar or identical to ours,                                                               
but  we  haven't  established  reciprocity  agreements  with  all                                                               
states.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  STOLTZE  added  it   isn't  possible  to  have  a                                                               
reciprocity  agreement  with  states that  don't  have  concealed                                                               
carry or reciprocity laws.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR FRENCH asked for a breakdown of the states.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE STOLTZE agreed he would get that for him.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
MR.  BRIAN JUDY,  National  Rifle  Association, informed  members                                                               
that  about 26  states have  some form  of reciprocity,  but some                                                               
states need  to have an  agreement with the Alaska  Department of                                                               
Public Safety  (DPS) for Alaska  permits to be recognized  - even                                                               
though Alaska recognizes all permits.  He said that's why there's                                                               
a second section of the bill.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  FRENCH asked  what other  states have  taken issue  with                                                               
Alaska in light of our current law.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR OGAN arrived at 1:46 p.m.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
MR.  JUDY said  none  and SB  242 (last  session)  opened up  the                                                               
reciprocity  issue. Only  Texas  requires an  agreement with  DPS                                                               
because Alaska law is more restrictive than theirs.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR THERRIAULT  moved to pass CSSSHB  177(STA) from committee                                                               
with  individual   recommendations  and  attached   fiscal  note.                                                               
SENATOR French objected.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  SEEKINS called  for a  roll call.  The motion  passed with                                                               
Senators  Ogan, Therriault  and  Seekins voting  yea and  Senator                                                               
French voting nay. CSSSHB 177(STA) passed from committee.