04/17/2009 01:30 PM Senate JUDICIARY

                HB 201-CONCEALED HANDGUN PERMITS                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
2:21:30 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR FRENCH announced  the consideration of HB  201. [Before the                                                               
committee was CSHB 201(JUD).]                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE CRAIG  JOHNSON, sponsor of  HB 201, said  the bill                                                               
comes  from a  constituent who  asked for  notification from  the                                                               
Department  of Public  Safety (DPS)  when  his concealed  handgun                                                               
permit expires. He  said he's of the belief that  people who have                                                               
a  permit should  have some  responsibility  so he  had the  bill                                                               
drafted  to  have  the  concealed  handgun  permit  expire  on  a                                                               
person's birthday  in the  fifth year  following issuance  of the                                                               
permit. There  is a period  of transition  and the length  of the                                                               
initial permit may be adjusted to  four years, but it will not be                                                               
issued for  a period of more  than five years, he  said. Although                                                               
Alaska  doesn't have  a  concealed handgun  law,  34 states  have                                                               
reciprocity with Alaska and permit holders must be compliant.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI asked if there  could be a situation where a                                                               
person's permit would expire in less than five years.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE JOHNSON  responded it could expire  in four years.                                                               
The  bill says  it can't  be  more than  five years.  He said  he                                                               
believes people will jump on this because of the simplicity.                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  FRENCH asked  if it's  a fielder's  choice for  the permit                                                               
holder.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  JOHNSON responded  he believes  they'd have  that                                                               
option, but he'd defer to someone from the department.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
2:24:06 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR FRENCH  asked the department representative  if the statute                                                               
says the permit  must expire on the person's birthday  or if it's                                                               
optional.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
KATHRYN  MONFREDA,  Chief,  Criminal Records  and  Identification                                                               
Bureau,  Division of  Statewide  Services,  Department of  Public                                                               
Safety,  said  her  duties include  oversight  of  the  concealed                                                               
handgun permit  program and  her reading of  the statute  is that                                                               
the permit must expire on  the person's birthday. "We wouldn't be                                                               
giving permit holders a choice," she said.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR FRENCH commented that he thinks clarity is a good thing.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
2:25:33 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  FRENCH  expressed appreciation  to  Ms.  Monfreda for  her                                                               
long-standing and important public service.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI asked what it costs to renew a permit.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
MS. MONFREDA replied the cost is $25.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  WIELECHOWSKI mentioned  the  potential  for outcry  from                                                               
someone who had to renew sooner than five years.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
MS. MONFREDA explained that permit  holders will receive a permit                                                               
for four  years and however  many months  it is until  their next                                                               
birthday. That  could be four years  and one month or  four years                                                               
and eleven months depending on when the person applies.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR FRENCH  observed that  the variability is  to get  the term                                                               
set to coincide with the person's birthday.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
MS.  MONFREDA added  that the  variability would  only be  on the                                                               
first renewal or issue. Subsequent  renewals would be set at five                                                               
years.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR FRENCH  closed public testimony  and asked the will  of the                                                               
committee.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
2:27:01 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  WIELECHOWSKI  moved  to  report   CS  for  HB  201  from                                                               
committee  with individual  recommendations  and attached  fiscal                                                               
note(s). There being  no objection, CSHB 201(JUD)  moved from the                                                               
Senate Judiciary Standing Committee.