05/01/1994 01:10 PM Senate FIN

  SCSCSHB 351(STA):   An  Act  relating  to  permits  for  the                 
                      carrying   of   a   concealed   handgun;                 
                      providing for local option  elections in                 
                      municipalities and  established villages                 
                      to   prohibit   the   possession  of   a                 
                      concealed  handgun  under a  permit; and                 
                      relating to the  possession of  weapons;                 
                      and providing for an effective date.                     
                                                                               
                      Sherrie Goll,  lobbyist, Alaska  Women's                 
                                                                               
                                                                               
                      Lobby  and  KIDPAC,  and  Jane  Andrene,                 
                      Executive Director, Council  on Domestic                 
                      Violence and  Sexual Assault,  testified                 
                      in opposition  to HB 351.   John George,                 
                      for  the  Outdoor Council,  testified in                 
                      support  of  HB  351.    Senator  Rieger                 
                      voiced  his  opposition  to a  concealed                 
                      weapon.   CSHB 351(FIN  am(efd add)  was                 
                      REPORTED  out of  committee  with a  "do                 
                      pass,"  a  zero  fiscal   note  for  the                 
                      Department of Law, a fiscal note in  the                 
                      amount of  $2.44 for  the Office  of the                 
                      Governor,  and  a  fiscal  note for  the                 
                      Department  of  Public  Safety   in  the                 
                      amount of $1,351.8  showing a revenue of                 
                      $1,842.7.                                                
                                                                               
  SENATE CS FOR CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 351(STA):                                
                                                                               
       An  Act  relating  to permits  for  the  carrying of  a                 
       concealed handgun; providing for local option elections                 
       in municipalities and  established villages to prohibit                 
       the possession of  a concealed handgun under  a permit;                 
       and  relating   to  the  possession  of   weapons;  and                 
       providing for an effective date.                                        
                                                                               
  Co-chair  Pearce  announced  that  HB  351  was  before  the                 
  committee and invited testimony to the bill.                                 
                                                                               
  SHERRIE  GOLL, lobbyist,  Alaska  Women's Lobby  and KIDPAC,                 
  testified in opposition to HB 351.  She did not believe that                 
                                                                               
                                                                               
  this bill would  make life  safer for women.   Instead,  she                 
  felt  more  guns would  mean  more accidents  and tragedies.                 
  Almost all people murdered were killed by someone they knew.                 
  Studies  showed that  75  percent of  justifiable  homicides                 
  occur in the home where handguns for protection were already                 
  permitted.  FBI  statistics show  that even police  officers                 
  who  receive  hundreds  of  hours  of training,  still  kill                 
  themselves with their own weapons.  She believed  that women                 
  would be better  served by  training in a  martial art  that                 
  could not  be taken  and used against  her.  She  also asked                 
  that a  provision be added to  the bill that if  a permitted                 
  gun was  used  in a  domestic  violence assault  case,  that                 
  permit would  be revoked.   She  also pointed  out the  poor                 
  example parents, who carried guns, were giving to children.                  
                                                                               
  Ms. Goll urged,  if HB  351 would pass,  that strict  safety                 
  measures be added  to the legislation.   She added, that  if                 
  having more guns on the  streets made us a safer nation,  we                 
  should be the safest nation in the world.                                    
                                                                               
  JANE  ANDRENE,  Executive   Director,  Council  on  Domestic                 
  Violence and Sexual  Assault, testified in opposition  to HB
.   She said this  bill was being  presented as a  way to                 
  deter crime but a significant portion of the crime in Alaska                 
  were crimes of  domestic violence  and sexual  assault.   In                 
  crimes  of sexual assault, 85 percent  of the offenders were                 
  known to the victims and happened where the victim would not                 
  have access to  a concealed weapon or be able  to access the                 
  weapon quickly enough.  A  significant and realistic fear of                 
  many victims  of  family violence  was that  the partner  or                 
  spouse had  access to  and  was skilled  at using  firearms.                 
  Many times  the threat  of using  them  was made  repeatedly                 
  toward the victim.  If alcohol  or stress was added to these                 
  situations, the possibility of lethality escalated in family                 
  violence.   She also pointed out  that domestic violence and                 
  sexual assault workers  would also be threatened.   She said                 
  carrying  weapons  openly  would  reduce  the potential  for                 
  violent crimes.                                                              
                                                                               
  JOHN GEORGE, for the Outdoor Council, said the safest weapon                 
  on the street  was carried  by someone who  was trained  and                 
  this bill provided  for training.   He felt those that  went                 
  through   the   training,   submitted   to   fingerprinting,                 
  photographing, and paid  a fee,  were going to  be safe  gun                 
  carriers.    He urged  support  for HB  351.   In  answer to                 
  Senator Rieger, he  said that strapping  on a six gun  would                 
  give  a wild west  approach.  He  said this bill  targeted a                 
  person who would like to walk softly and carry a big stick.                  
                                                                               
  Co-chair Frank MOVED  for passage  of SCSCSHB 351(STA)  from                 
  committee  with individual  recommendations.   No  objection                 
  being heard, it  was REPORTED  out of committee  with a  "do                 
  pass,"  a  zero fiscal  note for  the  Department of  Law, a                 
  fiscal note for the Officer of the Governor for $2.44, and a                 
                                                                               
                                                                               
  fiscal  note  for  the  Department  of Safety  for  $1,351.8                 
  showing  a  revenue  of $(1,842.7).    Co-chairs  Pearce and                 
  Frank, Senators Sharp and Kelly signed a "do pass."  Senator                 
  Rieger signed "no recommendation."