SB 174-REG. OF FIREARMS/KNIVES BY UNIV. OF AK  1:35:53 PM VICE CHAIR COGHILL announced the consideration of SB 174. He listed those who were available for questions and opened public testimony. 1:36:48 PM GREG STODDARD, representing himself, testified in support of SB 174. He noted he works for the university, but is speaking for himself. He opined that the university's current firearms policy is more of an invitation to a perpetrator, than a deterrent. He said statistics show gun-free zones are where violence occurs. He said the bill requires the university to follow existing law. Americans have the constitutional right to defend themselves. He did not think there was anything to fear from a polite society that arms itself. 1:39:29 PM ROB CLIFT, Chair, Libertarian Party, testified in support of SB 174. He said the Libertarian Party supports the right to carry "concealed" on campus and is cognizant that people already are carrying "concealed" on campus. He said he understands that the university is used by many people and belongs to all people of Alaska, not to the Board of Regents. He concluded that passage of the bill aligns the university with state law. 1:42:23 PM LILY COHEN, representing herself, testified in opposition to SB 174. She said even though she works on campus, she is speaking for herself. She said she carries a gun in situations where she want to feel safe, such as out in the field, but not on campus. She stated that she does not support guns on campus and feels that they will not make the campus safer. She did not think that the committee received letters opposing the bill. She read from an article in the Onion about mass shootings around the U.S. VICE CHAIR COGHILL noted the committee has received an equal number of letters against the bill. 1:44:58 PM BRIAN JUDY, Alaska Liaison, National Rifle Association, testified in support of SB 174. He questioned whether a person should have less freedom or safety on a college campus and why a person who can be armed off campus, can't be armed on campus. He stated that self-defense is a fundamental right. The bill is about providing protection for law-abiding citizens both on and off campus. He maintained that law enforcement cannot not respond to shootings quick enough. He said gun-free school zones have been a disaster with every mass killing recently having been in such zones. He said there are currently 9 states that allow concealed carry on campus without any problems. He shared the history of concealed carry law. He did not believe the bill would cause fiscal problems for the university. 1:49:21 PM MIKE COONS, representing himself, testified in support of SB 174. He cited times when there was a deadly threat and he produced a weapon to stop it. He debated the university counsel's opinion that it is not a state entity. He suggested cutting funds to the university. He said an adult in Alaska does not need a concealed carry permit and he maintained that training does not make a person safer. He concluded that children are safe around concealed carry on campus. 1:53:38 PM SETH WEAVER, representing himself, testified in opposition to SB 174. He voiced concern about the underlying aura of fear that would infringe on one's ability to express free speech in the classroom. He spoke as a student of the university system who would be affected by this bill and the general reluctance for students to speak on a hot topic when students in their classes have guns. He referred to the Sumter Incidence where a person was caned to death for speaking up. He suggested adding an amendment to also allow concealed carry inside the state capitol. 1:57:39 PM BRIAN SIMPSON, representing himself, testified in favor of SB 174. He said it is a constitutional right to carry concealed. He said safe zones are not safe. He concluded that those who would carry concealed are law abiding citizens. VICE CHAIR COGHILL noted the university is preparing additional statements regarding K-12 students on campus. 2:01:20 PM SENATOR MICCICHE asked about the UA fiscal note for $1.3 million for FY2017 and $800,000, per year, for FY2018 through FY2020, regarding K-12 programs. He asked if the university plans to issue another fiscal note after the acceptance of version N, which allows restricted areas. 2:03:37 PM MICHAEL HOSTIN, General Counsel, University of Alaska System, answered questions related to SB 174. He explained that the K-12 programs are mixed in with other programs on campus that would not be subject to concerns that would normally be associated with K-12 buildings where firearms are not permitted. The university believes that there would have to be secure points, as allowed in the bill, during K-12 events. MATT COOPER, General Counsel, answered questions related to SB 174. He said that in addition to K-12, the fiscal note represents funding to evaluate existing secure areas to see if they qualify as secure access points and possibly having to make them more secure. He gave as examples the super computer and sensitive labs at UAF. He noted they are still working on refining the fiscal note. The fiscal note accompanying version N is a substantial reduction from the previous fiscal note, which included lock boxes for secure storage. VICE CHAIR COGHILL set SB 174 aside, awaiting further public testimony. SB 174-REG. OF FIREARMS/KNIVES BY UNIV. OF AK 2:44:42 PM VICE CHAIR COGHILL returned to public testimony for SB 174. 2:44:58 PM CARL KANCIR, representing himself, testified in support of SB 174. He said an armed society is a safe society. He said the college police said they could arrive at a crime scene in two minutes, however, he shared his experience in the service and opined that campus police cannot get there in time. He gave an example of robbers in a bar. He gave an analogy of a hockey game. He maintained that concealed carry is good for defense. He shared a number of stories. VICE CHAIR COGHILL thanked the testifier and held SB 174 in committee.