Legislature(2023 - 2024)BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
01/24/2024 01:30 PM Senate LABOR & COMMERCE
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| Presentation(s): Uaa Workforce Solutions for Alaska | |
| SB173 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | SB 173 | TELECONFERENCED | |
SB 173-AUTHORIZE HANDGUNS SCHOOL EMPLOYEE/VOLUNT
2:30:46 PM
CHAIR BJORKMAN reconvened the meeting and announced the
consideration of SENATE BILL NO. 173, "An Act requiring school
districts to grant qualified persons an assigned duty to carry a
concealed handgun on school grounds under certain conditions;
relating to standards, training, and continuing education in
firearms training for qualified persons granted an assigned duty
to carry a concealed handgun on school grounds; relating to
communication of school districts with state and local law
enforcement; and relating to school crisis response plans."
2:31:05 PM
CHAIR BJORKMAN announced Senator Hughes and invited her to
introduce SB 173.
2:31:17 PM
SENATOR SHELLEY HUGHES, District M, Alaska State Legislature,
Juneau, Alaska, speaking as sponsor of SB 173, moved to slide 2
and shared her belief that SB 173 addresses one of the most
important concerns before the Legislature.
[Original punctuation provided.]
Purpose
To save lives during an active shooter incident on
school grounds by providing an immediate response by
an on-site, highly-trained, stable, responsible
individual as an augmentation to local law
enforcement.
SENATOR HUGHES stated that front-end measures, such as providing
support for "mentally troubled" students and individuals and
extra security measures at school facilities, are essential.
However, back-end measures are crucial for times when front-end
measures are not enough. This is especially true in Alaska,
where many schools are located in remote areas that do not have
a local police force. Referring to a conversation with the
Commissioner of Public Safety, she shared that it can sometimes
take law enforcement 3 to 5 days to reach remote villages in
inclement weather. SB 173 is a stopgap that would address this
issue. She said that she has spoken with parents, teachers, and
students who have expressed concern that the question is not
"if" but "when" an active shooter will enter their school. She
noted that while active shooter rampages are not common, they
are occurring more frequently.
2:34:04 PM
SENATOR HUGHES indicated that this is not a new issue and
brought attention to the shooting at Bethel Regional High School
in 1997. Following the 2021 school shooting at Oxford High
School in Michigan, she was approached by a former Bethel high
school faculty member who taught at the Bethel high school when
the [Bethel High School] shooting occurred. He shared his belief
that concealed carry on school grounds would be an effective
deterrent for active-shooter incidents. Pointing to the many
active-shooter incidents that have occurred across the country
over the past two decades, she suggested early intervention,
school preparation, and concealed carry could have reduced the
number of incidents and loss of life.
2:35:58 PM
SENATOR HUGHES brought attention to two individuals who had
hoped to testify in support of SB 173 today: a school district
employee whose identity must remain confidential but who has
provided written testimony and the parent of a child killed in
the Parkland school shooting who will not be able to testify due
to a family emergency.
SENATOR HUGHES read the following anonymous testimony:
I cannot disclose my name for confidentiality for my
safety and the school district where I work. I am here
to lend my voice to speak on behalf of school
employees who currently carry a concealed handgun on
school grounds in support of SB 173. I have a master's
in nursing leadership and management and a master's in
business administration. I am a Certified School Nurse
in the state where I practice. I currently work as a
district school nurse, overseeing and providing care
for staff and students from preschool through age 22
throughout multiple campus locations. In addition to
my role as a Registered Nurse, I am a member of my
district's armed response team.
2:37:55 PM
CHAIR BJORKMAN announced invited testimony on SB 173.
2:38:34 PM
DONNA ANTHONY, Chief of Police, Chickaloon Tribal Police
Department, Chickaloon, Alaska, testified in support of SB 173.
She is a lifelong resident of Alaska currently residing in
Palmer. She has over 20 years of experience in law enforcement
and security. She is the owner of Point-Blank Firearms and
Defense Training. She is a training counselor and certified
firearms instructor for the National Rifle Association (NRA),
United States Concealed Carry Association (USCCA), and the
National Law Enforcement Firearms Instructors Association
(NLEFIA), among others. She shared that she has experience
presenting on this topic at a variety of venues related to
active shooter concerns and has helped create safety videos on
this topic.
MS. ANTHONY stated that her passion for school safety began
during her time as a deputy sheriff in Ohio. At that time, she
was a certified School Resource Officer (SRO) with the National
Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO). She explained
that the protocols for dealing with active-shooter incidents
changed after the 1999 shooting at Columbine high school in
Littleton, Colorado. While serving as an SRO, she learned of a
potential shooting at a local middle school. This was due to a
tip reported via the Safer Ohio School Tip Line. An
investigation led to the seizure of guns and detailed plans from
the student. The individual was arrested and placed in Juvenile
Detention. It was later discovered that the student had been the
victim of bullying. The tip line also allowed her to investigate
and stop a bomb threat. In this case, the student had a troubled
past and a history of making pipe bombs.
2:43:12 PM
MS. ANTHONY acknowledged that some people may question the
necessity of arming staff at schools in Alaska. In response to
this question, she provided a list of active shooter incidents
and threats that have occurred in Alaska. She expressed concern
regarding law enforcement's inability to quickly access remote
locations. In addition, remote villages often have Village
Public Safety Officers (VPSO) who are not armed and therefore
are unprepared to respond to these incidents. While larger
cities in Alaska have Police Departments with SROs who can
respond quickly, remote villages do not. She referred to a 2020
report by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) which stated
that 98 percent of active-shooter incidents occur in gun-free
zones. She pointed out that schools without an SRO or armed
security are gun-free zones and opined that it is necessary to
"harden" these schools. Additionally, the FBI reports that 68
percent of active-shooter incidents end before police arrive.
These incidents often end in under five minutes, with many
incidents lasting two minutes or less. Even in cities with armed
law enforcement, response time is a concern. She concluded that
having an SRO or trained, armed security in schools would help
to address this issue in both rural and urban areas.
2:44:24 PM
SENATOR DUNBAR asked what kind of training would be needed to
qualify someone as a "highly trained, stable, responsible
individual." He questioned whether training would be limited to
what is needed for a concealed-carry permit or whether
additional training would be required and asked about the length
and expense of the necessary training.
2:45:10 PM
MS. ANTHONY replied that every state is different. She shared
her understanding that in general, armed security who is not law
enforcement must have appropriate training and a background
check. For law enforcement, a mental background check is also
done. She opined that individuals working as armed security in
schools need more than concealed carry training. It is her
understanding that additional training requirements have been
included in SB 173.
2:46:19 PM
SENATOR HUGHES explained that the initial training would be a
four-day training specific to the school setting. She pointed
out that for law enforcement, SROs must complete an additional
school-specific training prior to beginning their work in
schools because of the unique aspects of working with children.
Local school districts will determine any additional training
requirements.
2:48:04 PM
JIM IRVINE, President, Buckeye Firearms Foundation, Faster Saves
Lives Director, Cleveland, Ohio, Gave invited testimony in
support of SB 173. He is an airline pilot by trade and has been
studying "active killer" events for the past 20 years. He has
helped train thousands of school staff through the Faster Saves
Lives program over the past 10 years. He stated that to end
school shootings and save lives, three things are needed:
• A law that encourages and allows schools to adopt best
practices, including armed staff of trained
individuals
• Funding so that staff can attend training and schools
can purchase equipment
• School administrators must embrace their obligation to
protect the children in their care and custody
MR. IRVINE referred to a recent school shooting in Iowa, stating
his belief that, had the principal received training and been
armed, he would still be alive. He went on to discuss the school
shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, stating
that while the reports from this shooting are gut-wrenching,
they are not surprising. He suggested that it is reasonable to
be critical of law enforcement in this case. However, there was
time between the call to emergency services and the first
gunshots that could have been taken advantage of, had staff
members been trained and armed. He stated that criticisms of the
police response are not unique to this event, pointing out that
police do not often deal with active killer events. He opined
that it is not the job of the police to save students; rather,
it is the obligation of school faculty to protect students who
are in their custody. He commented that most schools in the
United States, including Robb Elementary School, have a culture
of complacency, adding that the idea that "it would never happen
here" results in a lack of preparedness. He stated that policies
and procedures are needed for when these incidents inevitably
occur.
2:51:57 PM
MR. IRVINE said that a lack of understanding causes the public
to disagree with plans to train and arm school staff. He opined
that, once adopted in Alaska, some schools will readily adopt
the changes while others will take a "wait and see" approach. He
stated his belief that, over time, more schools will come on
board and positive changes will occur. He shared several stories
from Ohio to illustrate how armed school staff working with law
enforcement is beneficial. He commented that, if passed, SB 173
would one day result in a critical incident review that applauds
school faculty for being prepared, working together with
emergency responders, and saving lives.
2:54:28 PM
STEVE ROSE, Superintendent, Russia Local School, Russia, Ohio,
gave invited testimony in support of SB 173. He said that he has
worked in his school district for 15 years and has two children
attending school there. Since the 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook
Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, he has been working
with the school district to develop a security plan to keep
students safe. This includes having armed staff in the building.
He explained that Russia, Ohio is a small village that does not
have a police department. In the case of an emergency, it may
take emergency responders and the county sheriff up to 20
minutes to arrive. He said that in an active shooter situation
seconds count, adding that 20 minutes is too long. In 2013, the
district implemented an armed response plan. He described the
training that staff completed, which included training in
firearms, active shooter protocols, and first aid. They also
learned how to safely interact with law enforcement during an
emergency. Staff attended lessons at the shooting range and
received additional training on school grounds.
2:56:19 PM
MR. ROSE commented that, while they are not police officers,
they are well-trained in how to stop an active threat. In
addition to training armed staff, they have secured school entry
points, added protective film to doors, set up tip lines, and
trained staff to recognize potential red flags. He stated that
the armed response team is the last line of defense. All members
of the armed response team are volunteers. They each have a
conceal and carry license, have completed over 30 hours of
training, and have fired over a thousand rounds of ammunition
prior to being approved for the program. Each member of the team
must attend annual training and qualify on the Ohio Peace
Officer qualification test annually. He said that members of the
armed response team are held to the same standards as Ohio
Police officers. Only a small percentage of faculty members are
on the armed response team. He compared this job to that of a
school bus driver who is responsible for the safety of students
while they ride the bus and stated that he takes the same
responsibility for the safety of students while they are at
school. He reiterated his support for armed staff as part of
school security measures.
2:58:17 PM
SENATOR DUNBAR asked what percentage of teachers chose to take
the training.
2:58:39 PM
MR. ROSE answered that there are 50 employees in the district, 3
of whom are on the response team. None of the response team
members are teachers.
2:58:52 PM
SENATOR DUNBAR asked how much it cost the district to train one
person.
MR. ROSE replied that the Sheriff's department provided the
initial training free of charge. The second training was through
the FASTER program and the district received grants to pay for
that training. The district was responsible for purchasing
ammunition and other tools needed for the training.
SENATOR DUNBAR noted that SB 173 says, "has completed any
training required by the district's insurance policy to be
eligible for coverage." He asked how training armed staff has
impacted the insurance policy in Mr. Rose's district.
MR. ROSE answered that, initially, the district needed to
purchase law enforcement insurance for approximately two
thousand dollars. However, they have since been included under
the district's Public Employment Risk Reduction Program (PERRP)
policy at no extra charge. He added that they have multi-
million-dollar liability coverage.
3:01:38 PM
DIANNA MULLER, Member, Women for Gun Rights, Las Vegas, Nevada,
testified by invitation in support of SB 173. She is a retired
22-year veteran of the Tulsa Police Department, a world and
national champion competition shooter, and the founder of Women
for Gun Rights. She stated that she has experience with violence
and experience with firearms. She reasoned that all people want
safety for themselves and for their families; however, there are
different ways of achieving this goal. She pointed out that, in
the wake of mass-shootings, many propose gun-control. She opined
that gun control is a proven failure and said that 94 percent of
mass-shootings occur in gun-free zones. Highlighting the
shootings at schools in Uvalde, Texas and Parkland, Florida, she
pointed out that the US Supreme Court recently ruled that police
officers do not have a duty to respond to active-shooter
incidents.
MS. MULLER opined that schools have a duty to care for the
children who are in their custody. She said that schools
typically do a good job addressing domestic abuse concerns.
School administrators must apply this same vigor when preparing
for and protecting students from violence at school. She
surmised that many school staff already carry firearms. She
suggested that these individuals should be able to conceal-carry
on school grounds. She said that school employees in other
states have been trained and authorized to carry firearms on
school grounds for decades. She commented that this provides the
students in those states with additional protection. She
asserted that schools need to reevaluate their active-killer
preparedness protocols and added that schools should be allowed
to authorize trained individuals to carry firearms as a part of
these protocols.
3:04:25 PM
DEBORAH RIDDLE, Division Operations Manager, Department of
Education and Early Development (DEED), Juneau, Alaska, reported
on the fiscal note for SB 173. She stated that the DEED fiscal
note for SB 173 is zero. SB 173 directs individual school
districts to take on policy creation. There are several entities
that the districts can utilize for policy creation. DEED also
has staff on its health and safety team who can assist.
SENATOR DUNBAR pointed out that SB 173 requires districts to pay
to train the individuals who choose to take on this role. He
inferred that this would result in a cost to the district and
asked Ms. Riddle to clarify that this would not cost the state
anything.
MS. RIDDLE replied that it would not cost the state anything.
SENATOR HUGHES said that she encourages the creation of a fiscal
note that would offset costs incurred by school districts as a
result of the training requirement.
3:06:33 PM
SENATOR DUNBAR stated his agreement. He would like to hear from
school districts regarding the estimated costs. These costs can
then be built into SB 173. He pointed out that SB 173 uses the
word "shall" rather than "may", which will result in an added
cost for the school districts.
3:07:15 PM
SENATOR GRAY-JACKSON expressed appreciation for the testimony
offered from out-of-state individuals. She asked if the sponsor
of SB 173 has had conversations with Alaska stakeholders such as
Anchorage Police Department (APD), Department of Public Safety
(DPS), Alaska Police Standards Council (APSC), and the Alaska
Association of Chiefs of Police (AACOP).
SENATOR HUGHES replied yes. She said that she has spoken with
law enforcement and met with DPS. She noted that SB 173 does not
mandate law enforcement but does require districts to provide
detailed information to law enforcement. There is a DPS fiscal
note due to the potential increase in conceal-carry permit
applications. She welcomed further discussions with law
enforcement agencies.
3:09:15 PM
SENATOR GRAY-JACKSON replied that while she appreciates this
response, she believes these conversations are needed. She
expressed that she would like to know what the aforementioned
organizations think about SB 173.
SENATOR DUNBAR noted that the individuals who testified spoke
about having the option to arm staff. He stated his
understanding that currently, schools in Alaska have the option
to arm staff and that SB 173 would change this to a requirement.
He asked if this is correct.
3:10:08 PM
SENATOR HUGHES replied yes. She explained that [school
superintendents] currently set the policy [outlining the
procedures for employing armed staff on school premises] and
suggested that districts have been reluctant to implement these
policies. She reasoned that this is because Alaskans want to be
sure that the armed individuals are stable, responsible, and
highly trained. SB 173 addresses this concern by including this
language. She contrasted this with Utah's law that allows anyone
who is licensed to conceal-carry to do so on school grounds with
no restrictions. She emphasized the importance of student safety
and pointed out that SB 173 includes physical and mental health
requirements that must meet or exceed those of the Alaska Police
Standards Council (APSC). APSC requires that individuals pass a
general health check as well as a psychological evaluation. She
reiterated that arming school staff has long been an option for
districts; however, none has chosen to do so.
SENATOR HUGHES reiterated concerns regarding law enforcement
response times and the increase in school shootings across the
country. She stated that if an active shooter event occurs and
students and/or school staff are harmed this would be a
travesty. The legislature should consider this issue before an
active shooter event occurs. It is important to strengthen
front-end protocols. However, four out of five shootings have no
advance warning. She asserted that it is only a matter of time
before an active-shooter event occurs in Alaska.
3:13:29 PM
SENATOR HUGHES said that regardless of one's beliefs about gun-
control and/or the second amendment, people should be able to
agree that schools need someone on-site who can stop an active
shooter. She added that this is an uncomfortable but necessary
conversation. The legislature must create a policy because
Alaska is more vulnerable than other states when it comes to
potential school violence.
CHAIR BJORKMAN thanked the invited testifiers and apologized for
running out of time to take public testimony at this hearing. He
reminded the public that they can submit written testimony via
email to [email protected].
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| SB173 ver H.PDF |
SL&C 1/24/2024 1:30:00 PM SL&C 3/1/2024 1:30:00 PM |
SB 173 |
| SB173 Sponsor Statement ver H.pdf |
SL&C 1/24/2024 1:30:00 PM SL&C 3/1/2024 1:30:00 PM |
SB 173 |
| SB173 Sectional Analysis ver H.pdf |
SL&C 1/24/2024 1:30:00 PM SL&C 3/1/2024 1:30:00 PM |
SB 173 |
| SB173 Sponsor Presentation to SLAC 01.24.24.pdf |
SL&C 1/24/2024 1:30:00 PM SL&C 3/1/2024 1:30:00 PM |
SB 173 |
| SB173 Fiscal Note-EED-SSA-01.19.24.pdf |
SL&C 1/24/2024 1:30:00 PM SL&C 3/1/2024 1:30:00 PM |
SB 173 |
| SB173 Fiscal Note-LAW-CJL-01.19.24.pdf |
SL&C 1/24/2024 1:30:00 PM SL&C 3/1/2024 1:30:00 PM |
SB 173 |
| SB173 Letter of Support-Email-Shannon Methe-01.13.24.pdf |
SL&C 1/24/2024 1:30:00 PM SL&C 3/1/2024 1:30:00 PM |
SB 173 |
| SB173 Letter of Support-Email-Andrew Ault-01.21.24.pdf |
SL&C 1/24/2024 1:30:00 PM SL&C 3/1/2024 1:30:00 PM |
SB 173 |
| SB173 Public Testimony-Received as of 1pm 01.23.24.pdf |
SL&C 1/24/2024 1:30:00 PM SL&C 3/1/2024 1:30:00 PM |
SB 173 |
| UAA Workforce Hearing - Presentation - 1.22.24.pdf |
SL&C 1/24/2024 1:30:00 PM |
Workforce Solutions for Alaska |
| UAA Workforce Hearing - UAA Background - 1.22.24.pdf |
SL&C 1/24/2024 1:30:00 PM |
Workforce Solutions for Alaska |
| UAA Workforce Hearing - Nursing Background - 1.22.24.pdf |
SL&C 1/24/2024 1:30:00 PM |
Workforce Solutions for Alaska |
| UAA Workforce Hearing - KPC Background - 1.22.24.pdf |
SL&C 1/24/2024 1:30:00 PM |
Workforce Solutions for Alaska |
| SB173 Public Testimony(2)-Received as of noon 01.24.24.pdf |
SL&C 1/24/2024 1:30:00 PM SL&C 3/1/2024 1:30:00 PM |
SB 173 |
| SB173 Public Testimony(3)-Received as of noon 01.24.24.pdf |
SL&C 1/24/2024 1:30:00 PM |
SB 173 |