HJR 4 - OPPOSE GUN CONTROL ORDERS & LEGISLATION  2:25:46 PM CHAIR KELLER announced that the next order of business would be HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 4, Urging the President of the United States to rescind 23 executive orders related to regulation of firearms; and urging the United States Congress to refrain from passing legislation that restricts the right of individuals to keep and bear arms. [Included in members' packets were two proposed committee substitutes for HJR 4: Version 28-LS0362\U, Strasbaugh, 2/6/13; and Version 28-LS0362\N, Strasbaugh, 2/8/13.] 2:26:15 PM REPRESENTATIVE LYNN moved to adopt the proposed committee substitute (CS) for HJR 4, Version 28-LS0362\N, Strasbaugh, 2/8/13, as the working document. CHAIR KELLER objected. REPRESENTATIVE MILLETT, as the sponsor of HJR 4, explained that Version N now references executive orders, executive actions, and executive recommendations; now no longer contains a WHEREAS clause stating, "the United States Congress could more effectively curb gun violence by focusing its efforts on programs that help identify and treat mentally ill persons instead of banning certain types of firearms and high capacity ammunition magazines; and"; [and now contains a WHEREAS clause stating, "Alaska has one of the highest rates of gun ownership in the nation but one of the lowest rates of gun crimes in the nation; and"]. REPRESENTATIVE MILLETT suggested that Version N also be changed so that the "BE IT RESOLVED" clause of the resolution would reference "the" executive orders, executive actions, and executive recommendations related to regulation of firearms, rather than specifically referencing "23" such executive orders/actions/recommendations. Such a change would reflect the legislature's recognition that perhaps not all 23 of the executive orders, executive actions, and executive recommendations referenced elsewhere in the resolution address the regulation of firearms and thus may not necessarily be things that the legislature would want to urge the President to rescind. 2:31:32 PM ALFRED McKINLEY, SR., remarking that he's not read of any specific action being taken by the federal government, referred to the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and the constitutional right to keep and bear arms, noted that HJR 4 contains a reference to semiautomatic assault weapons, mentioned that his firearms are kept locked up in a safe so as to prevent them from falling into the wrong hands, relayed that he uses firearms for both protection and hunting, opined that everyone should keep their firearms locked up, explained that he's served in the military and received awards for being an expert rifleman, and indicated favor with what the legislature is doing. 2:38:41 PM BOB BIRD - indicating a preference for firearm-related school policies to be addressed at the local level, rather than at the state or federal level - said he supports HJR 4. 2:43:14 PM MIKE COONS suggested that HJR 4 be changed to include a clause expressing disapproval of what he termed "the universal background check" and [related] databases. CHAIR KELLER closed public testimony on HJR 4, and then reopened it. 2:47:55 PM RICHARD SVOBODNY, Deputy Attorney General, Central Office, Criminal Division, Department of Law (DOL), in response to a question, said the DOL doesn't have a position on HJR 4, and pointed out that the President had issued 23 statements, not 23 executive orders. CHAIR KELLER again closed public testimony on HJR 4; removed his objection to the motion to adopt Version N as the working document; and, noting that there were no further objections, announced that Version N was before the committee. 2:49:13 PM REPRESENTATIVE MILLETT made a motion to adopt Amendment 1, to delete the number, "23" from page 3, line 7, and replace it with the word, "the". There being no objection, Amendment 1 was adopted. 2:49:40 PM REPRESENTATIVE LYNN moved to report the proposed committee substitute (CS) for HJR 4, Version 28-LS0362\N, Strasbaugh, 2/8/13, as amended, out of committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes. There being no objection, CSHJR 4(JUD) was reported from the House Judiciary Standing Committee.