03/17/2014 01:30 PM Senate JUDICIARY

          SB 176-REG. OF FIREARMS/KNIVES BY UNIVERSITY                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
2:45:21 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR   COGHILL  reconvened   the  meeting   and  announced   the                                                               
consideration of  SB 176."An Act  relating to the  regulation of                                                               
firearms and  knives by the  University of Alaska." This  was the                                                               
fourth hearing.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
2:46:00 PM                                                                                                                    
ALBERT  JUDSON, representing  himself,  Juneau, Alaska,  informed                                                               
the  committee that  he  is a  chemical  dependency counselor,  a                                                               
former  patrolman,  Village  Public Safety  Officer  (VPSO),  and                                                               
security  officer   testifying  in  opposition  to   SB  176.  He                                                               
discussed a handout  showing gun laws in other  states along with                                                               
the campus shooting in Virginia  and stressed that populations in                                                               
Alaska are  much smaller and  therefore not comparable.  He asked                                                               
the committee to consider that  crime statistics this year at UAS                                                               
are  zero,  that  geographic interconnectedness  has  a  negative                                                               
impact on gun laws, and that  Alaska has high alcoholism and drug                                                               
abuse  rates. He  opined that  students and  faculty couldn't  be                                                               
blamed for  walking off the UAS  campus if this bill  passes, and                                                               
then  offered  suggestions  for  redesigning  buildings  to  make                                                               
allowance for  violence of  any kind. He  concluded that  a safe,                                                               
secure  learning  environment  is  the best  environment  in  the                                                               
world.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
2:52:51 PM                                                                                                                    
SHAUNA  THORNTON, Speaker,  Coalition of  Student Leaders,  Kenai                                                               
Peninsula College, Soldotna, Alaska,  reported that the Coalition                                                               
met  on  March 7  and  passed  a  resolution  in support  of  the                                                               
University of  Alaska System  position on  SB 176.  Speaking from                                                               
the student perspective,  she said she believes  that if firearms                                                               
are allowed  on campus it  puts anybody who  is trying to  calm a                                                               
disgruntled  student at  a serious  disadvantage  because of  the                                                               
fear  of  the unknown.  Right  now,  people  on campus  help  one                                                               
another  but the  feeling of  interconnectedness could  change if                                                               
this bill were to pass.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
2:54:50 PM                                                                                                                    
MICHAEL  MANCILL, representing  himself, Fairbanks,  Alaska, said                                                               
he  is the  vice-president  of student  government  and a  mining                                                               
engineering  student.  He voiced  support  for  SB 176  with  one                                                               
reservation  that  it   would  allow  guns  in   dorms.  In  that                                                               
environment firearms  could possibly create danger,  but he would                                                               
feel  comfortable  and safer  having  firearms  in the  hands  of                                                               
responsible citizens on campus,  in classrooms, and at university                                                               
functions.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR COGHILL informed the audience  and other interested parties                                                               
that the forthcoming committee substitute  is designed to respond                                                               
to some  of the university concerns  and the question of  guns in                                                               
student housing.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
MR. MANCILL responded that he saw the proposed committee                                                                        
substitute and supports the compromises.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR DYSON suggested the committee seriously consider the                                                                    
idea of having an approved lockbox that isn't stored in a                                                                       
community area to accommodate students living in a dorm setting.                                                                
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR COGHILL announced he would hold SB 176 in committee for                                                                   
further consideration.