03/16/2009 01:30 PM Senate JUDICIARY

                SJR 10-ADOPT S. 371 IN CONGRESS                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
1:46:52 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR FRENCH announced the consideration of SJR 10.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR JOE  THOMAS, Alaska State Legislature,  sponsor, said the                                                               
right to  keep and  bear arms  is cherished  by Alaskans.  SJR 10                                                               
calls for  passage of federal  legislation that  protects Alaskan                                                               
traditions.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Passage  of the  federal Respecting  States Rights  and Concealed                                                               
Carry  Reciprocity Act  will establish  a nationwide  reciprocity                                                               
agreement  for carrying  concealed  firearms. This  will allow  a                                                               
citizen who  is permitted to  carry a concealed firearm  in their                                                               
home state  to do  so in  states with similar  laws. Laws  of the                                                               
host state  must be followed  including laws  concerning specific                                                               
locations  where  firearms may  not  be  carried. Any  individual                                                               
prohibited by federal  law from carrying a  firearm will continue                                                               
to be prohibited under the bill.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Many states  currently offer reciprocity  to states  with similar                                                               
laws,  but these  agreements can  change or  lapse. For  example,                                                               
North Dakota  recently phased out training  requirements from the                                                               
concealed carry licensing process and  that resulted in the lapse                                                               
of  several reciprocity  agreements with  other states.  Shifting                                                               
agreements  can make  it difficult  for a  bearer of  a concealed                                                               
firearm  to  keep  track  of   which  states  offer  reciprocity.                                                               
Provisions  of  the  law  ensure that  residents  of  Alaska  and                                                               
Vermont,  which  have  unique   concealed  carry  laws,  are  not                                                               
prohibited from  enjoying the same  rights as the  residents from                                                               
states having more common conceal and carry laws.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
1:48:44 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR FRENCH asked for clarification  that there is not a uniform                                                               
rule with respect  to carrying a concealed firearm  from state to                                                               
state.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  THOMAS  said  that's  the case  now,  but  this  federal                                                               
legislation would make a uniform rule.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR FRENCH asked  if the federal legislation intends  to set up                                                               
an interstate concealed  carry compact to which  each state would                                                               
belong.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  THOMAS  said  yes.  It's  the  same  concept  of  mutual                                                               
reciprocity  that  makes your  driver's  license  valid in  other                                                               
states.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR FRENCH  noted that this  probably would have no  bearing on                                                               
the  relationship between  Alaska and  Canada; carrying  firearms                                                               
from Alaska  through Canada  to Washington  will remain  a fairly                                                               
major impediment.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR THOMAS said that's correct.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
1:50:34 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  FRENCH noted  the letters  of  support from  the two  U.S.                                                               
Senators. Finding no  questions or anyone who  wanted to testify,                                                               
he closed public testimony and asked for a motion.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI moved  to report SJR 10  from committee with                                                               
individual  recommendations  and  attached zero  fiscal  note(s).                                                               
There being no  objection, SJR 10 move from  the Senate Judiciary                                                               
Standing Committee.