HB 201-CONCEALED HANDGUN PERMITS  2:21:30 PM CHAIR FRENCH announced the consideration of HB 201. [Before the committee was CSHB 201(JUD).] REPRESENTATIVE CRAIG JOHNSON, sponsor of HB 201, said the bill comes from a constituent who asked for notification from the Department of Public Safety (DPS) when his concealed handgun permit expires. He said he's of the belief that people who have a permit should have some responsibility so he had the bill drafted to have the concealed handgun permit expire on a person's birthday in the fifth year following issuance of the permit. There is a period of transition and the length of the initial permit may be adjusted to four years, but it will not be issued for a period of more than five years, he said. Although Alaska doesn't have a concealed handgun law, 34 states have reciprocity with Alaska and permit holders must be compliant. SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI asked if there could be a situation where a person's permit would expire in less than five years. REPRESENTATIVE JOHNSON responded it could expire in four years. The bill says it can't be more than five years. He said he believes people will jump on this because of the simplicity. CHAIR FRENCH asked if it's a fielder's choice for the permit holder. REPRESENTATIVE JOHNSON responded he believes they'd have that option, but he'd defer to someone from the department. 2:24:06 PM CHAIR FRENCH asked the department representative if the statute says the permit must expire on the person's birthday or if it's optional. KATHRYN MONFREDA, Chief, Criminal Records and Identification Bureau, Division of Statewide Services, Department of Public Safety, said her duties include oversight of the concealed handgun permit program and her reading of the statute is that the permit must expire on the person's birthday. "We wouldn't be giving permit holders a choice," she said. CHAIR FRENCH commented that he thinks clarity is a good thing. 2:25:33 PM CHAIR FRENCH expressed appreciation to Ms. Monfreda for her long-standing and important public service. SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI asked what it costs to renew a permit. MS. MONFREDA replied the cost is $25. SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI mentioned the potential for outcry from someone who had to renew sooner than five years. MS. MONFREDA explained that permit holders will receive a permit for four years and however many months it is until their next birthday. That could be four years and one month or four years and eleven months depending on when the person applies. CHAIR FRENCH observed that the variability is to get the term set to coincide with the person's birthday. MS. MONFREDA added that the variability would only be on the first renewal or issue. Subsequent renewals would be set at five years. CHAIR FRENCH closed public testimony and asked the will of the committee. 2:27:01 PM SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI moved to report CS for HB 201 from committee with individual recommendations and attached fiscal note(s). There being no objection, CSHB 201(JUD) moved from the Senate Judiciary Standing Committee.