HB 61-LIMITATIONS ON FIREARMS RESTRICTIONS  3:59:31 PM CHAIR SHAW announced that the next order of business would be HOUSE BILL NO. 61, "An Act relating to restrictions on firearms and other weapons." CHAIR SHAW stated that the committee would take up the consideration of amendments to HB 61. 4:00:38 PM The committee took a brief at-ease. 4:01:03 PM REPRESENTATIVE STORY moved to adopt Amendment 1 to HB 61, labeled 33-LS0333\A.4, Radford, 4/17/23, which read: Page 2, line 9, following "to": Insert "(1)" Page 2, line 12, following "law": Insert "; (2) an order, proclamation, regulation, ordinance, or policy (A) forbidding the possession of a firearm, a firearm accessory, ammunition, or other weapon for personal use at an emergency shelter; or (B) ordering the seizure or confiscation of a firearm, a firearm accessory, ammunition, or other weapon for personal use that a person possesses or attempts to possess at an emergency shelter" CHAIR SHAW objected for the purpose of discussion. 4:01:08 PM REPRESENTATIVE STORY explained that amendment 1 would allow authorities to restrict the possession of firearms in emergency shelters during a disaster declaration, thus providing authorities with the flexibility to assess situations and retain order and safety in communal living spaces. 4:02:49 PM REPRESENTATIVE CARPENTER objected to the motion to adopt Amendment 1. A roll call vote was taken. Representatives Armstrong and Story voted in favor of Amendment 1. Representatives Carpenter, C. Johnson, Allard, Wright, and Shaw voted against it. Therefore, Amendment 1 failed by a vote of 2-5. 4:03:45 PM The committee took a brief at-ease from. 4:04:25 PM REPRESENTATIVE STORY moved to adopt Amendment 2 to HB 61, labeled 33-LS0333\A.3, Radford, 4/17/23, which read: Page 2, lines 13 - 25: Delete all material. REPRESENTATIVE C. JOHNSON objected. REPRESENTATIVE ALLARD objected. 4:04:36 PM REPRESENTATIVE STORY explained that Amendment 2 would delete the language on page 2, lines 13-25, allowing people to bring civil action against a government agency or law enforcement. She opined that the language on page 2, lines 13-25, encouraged people to sue the state government without resulting in injunctive relief. 4:05:52 PM REPRESENTATIVE C. JOHNSON asked the bill sponsor to opine on Amendment 2. 4:05:58 PM REPRESENTATIVE CATHY TILTON, Alaska State Legislature, prime sponsor of HB 61, referenced a memo from Legislative Legal Services [included in the committee packet], which addressed the concern about injunctive relief versus treble damages. She deferred to her staff, Mr. St. Clair. 4:06:24 PM STEVE ST. CLAIR, Staff, Representative Cathy Tilton, Alaska State Legislature, on behalf of Representative Tilton, prime sponsor, stated that this was an existing practice in state and federal law. 4:06:57 PM REPRESENTATIVE STORY, referencing the legal memo, shared her understanding that treble damages were authorized in fourteen different statutes, whereas injunctive relief appeared in the Alaska Statutes 46 times. She requested a representative from Legislative Legal Services to answer the question of whether injunctive relief was more appropriate. CHAIR SHAW said no one from Legislative Legal Services was online. 4:07:31 PM REPRESENTATIVE C. JOHNSON maintained his objection to Amendment 2. 4:07:36 PM A roll call vote was taken. Representatives Armstrong and Story voted in favor of Amendment 2. Representatives Wright, Carpenter, C. Johnson, Allard, and Shaw voted against it. Therefore, Amendment 2 failed by a vote of 2-5. 4:08:06 PM REPRESENTATIVE WRIGHT moved to adopt Amendment 3 to HB 61, labeled 33-LS0333\A.1, Radford, 4/13/23, which read: Page 1, line 8, following "firearm,": Insert "a firearm part," Page 1, line 10, following "firearm,": Insert "a firearm part," Page 1, line 13, following "firearms,": Insert "firearm parts," Page 2, line 2, following "firearms,": Insert "firearm parts," Page 2, line 9, following "firearm,": Insert "a firearm part," Page 2, line 11, following "firearm,": Insert "a firearm part," Page 2, line 15, following "firearm,": Insert "a firearm part," Page 3, line 1, following "illumination": Insert "; (3) "firearm part" means a component of a firearm that is essential to the basic function of a firearm, including a component of an action or lock, the stock, and the barrel" REPRESENTATIVE CARPENTER objected. 4:08:12 PM REPRESENTATIVE WRIGHT explained that Amendment 3 would insert "firearm part" and the associated definition to HB 61. He explained that firearm parts were required for the proper function of a firearm. REPRESENTATIVE C. JOHNSON asked whether the bill sponsor was supportive of Amendment 3. REPRESENTATIVE TILTON answered yes, she was supportive of the proposed amendment, as firearm parts were necessary for subsistence hunting as a well as self-protection. REPRESENTATIVE C. JOHNSON removed his objection. There being no further objection, Amendment 3 was adopted. 4:09:53 PM REPRESENTATIVE WRIGHT moved to report HB 61, as amended, out of committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes. REPRESENTATIVE STORY objected. 4:10:20 PM The committee took a brief at-ease. 4:10:30 PM REPRESENTATIVE STORY spoke to her objection, opining that law enforcement needed to be able to restrict firearm possession in certain situations, such as emergency shelters. 4:11:01 PM The committee took a brief at-ease. 4:11:37 PM A roll call vote was taken. Representatives Wright, Carpenter, C. Johnson, Allard, and Shaw voted in favor of HB 61, as amended. Representatives Story and Armstrong voted against it. Therefore, CSHB 61(STA) was reported out of the House State Affairs Standing Committee by a vote of 5-2. 4:12:24 PM The committee took a brief at-ease. 4:12:47 PM CHAIR SHAW noted that Legislative Legal Services was authorized to make any necessary technical and conforming changes to CSHB 61(STA).