ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE  HOUSE STATE AFFAIRS STANDING COMMITTEE  March 2, 2023 3:02 p.m. MEMBERS PRESENT Representative Laddie Shaw, Chair Representative Stanley Wright, Vice Chair Representative Ben Carpenter Representative Craig Johnson Representative Jamie Allard Representative Jennie Armstrong MEMBERS ABSENT  Representative Andi Story COMMITTEE CALENDAR  HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 3 Encouraging Congress to pass the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act or a similar bill. - HEARD & HELD HOUSE BILL NO. 8 "An Act relating to electric-assisted bicycles." - MOVED HB 8 OUT OF COMMITTEE PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION  BILL: HJR 3 SHORT TITLE: CONCEALED HANDGUN RECIPROCITY B/W STATES SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) RAUSCHER 02/01/23 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS 02/01/23 (H) JUD, STA 02/10/23 (H) JUD AT 1:30 PM GRUENBERG 120 02/10/23 (H) Heard & Held 02/10/23 (H) MINUTE(JUD) 02/17/23 (H) JUD AT 1:30 PM GRUENBERG 120 02/17/23 (H) Moved CSHJR 3(JUD) Out of Committee 02/17/23 (H) MINUTE(JUD) 02/20/23 (H) JUD RPT CS(JUD) 3DP 4NR 02/20/23 (H) DP: C.JOHNSON, GROH, VANCE 02/20/23 (H) NR: CARPENTER, EASTMAN, GRAY, ALLARD 02/28/23 (H) STA AT 3:00 PM GRUENBERG 120 02/28/23 (H) Scheduled but Not Heard 03/02/23 (H) STA AT 3:00 PM GRUENBERG 120 BILL: HB 8 SHORT TITLE: ELECTRIC-ASSISTED BICYCLES SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) CARRICK 01/09/23 (H) PREFILE RELEASED 1/9/23 01/19/23 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS 01/19/23 (H) STA, L&C, TRA 02/23/23 (H) STA AT 3:00 PM GRUENBERG 120 02/23/23 (H) Heard & Held 02/23/23 (H) MINUTE(STA) 02/27/23 (H) L&C REFERRAL REMOVED 02/27/23 (H) BILL REPRINTED 03/02/23 (H) STA AT 3:00 PM GRUENBERG 120 WITNESS REGISTER REPRESENTATIVE GEORGE RAUSCHER Alaska State Legislature Juneau, Alaska POSITION STATEMENT: Introduced CSHJR 3(JUD), as the prime sponsor. RYAN MCKEE, Staff Representative George Rauscher Alaska State Legislature Juneau, Alaska POSITION STATEMENT: Answered questions pertaining to CSHJR 3(JUD), on behalf of Representative Rauscher, prime sponsor. REPRESENTATIVE ASHLEY CARRICK Alaska State Legislature Juneau, Alaska POSITION STATEMENT: Answered questions during the hearing on HB 8, as the prime sponsor. ACTION NARRATIVE 3:02:09 PM CHAIR LADDIE SHAW called the House State Affairs Standing Committee meeting to order at 3:02 p.m. Representatives Carpenter, C. Johnson, Allard, Armstrong, Wright, and Shaw were present at the call to order. HJR 3-CONCEALED HANDGUN RECIPROCITY B/W STATES  3:02:48 PM CHAIR SHAW announced that the first order of business would be HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 3, "Encouraging Congress to pass the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act or a similar bill." [Before the committee was CSHJR 3(JUD).] 3:03:17 PM REPRESENTATIVE GEORGE RAUSCHER, Alaska State Legislature, prime sponsor of CSHJR 3(JUD), presented the sponsor statement [included in the committee packet], which read as follows [original punctuation provided]: House Joint Resolution 3 would encourage Congress to amend the federal criminal code to allow an individual who is qualified to carry or possess a concealed handgun in one state to be allowed to also carry or possess a concealed handgun in another state that also allows individuals to carry concealed firearms. This Resolution would also request that Congress enact the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act (H.R. 38) from the 117th Congress, or a similar bill. REPRESENTATIVE RAUSCHER referenced a document, titled "5 reasons to support National Reciprocity" [included in the committee packet], which listed the following contentions: exercising a right shouldn't be contingent upon what state you're in; you don't want to be an accidental criminal; concealed carry permit holders are among the most law-abiding citizens in the country; reciprocity can change frequently with little notice; and law- abiding concealed carriers can protect you in all 50 states. He deferred to his staff, Mr. McKee, for additional information. 3:06:46 PM RYAN MCKEE, Staff, Representative George Rauscher, Alaska State Legislature, provided an overview of questions and discussion points from the previous committee of referral, on behalf of Representative Rauscher, prime sponsor of CSHJR 3(JUD). He clarified that a person traveling with a valid concealed carry permit from his/her home state would be required to abide by the rules of the destination state. CHAIR SHAW invited questions from members of the committee. 3:08:14 PM REPRESENTATIVE ARMSTRONG inquired about the genesis of HJR 3. REPRESENTATIVE RAUSCHER stated that the proposed resolution was not created in response to any particular event. He explained that the impetus of HJR 3 was to help those with concealed carry permits travel freely from state to state without being required to "re-test" [for a valid permit] in each state. REPRESENTATIVE ARMSTRONG considered the example of an Alaskan who wanted to carry concealed in Montana for the purpose of hunting. She asked the sponsor to explain the process by which that individual could carry concealed. REPRESENTATIVE RAUSCHER indicated that some states required hunters to send their firearms through a dealer when traveling. He added that each state had varying requirements for transporting firearms. REPRESENTATIVE WRIGHT expressed his appreciation for the legislation, as a former military service member. 3:11:18 PM CHAIR SHAW opened public testimony on HJR 3. After ascertaining that no one online or in person wished to testify, he closed public testimony. REPRESENTATIVE RAUSCHER provided closing remarks and thanked the committee. 3:12:29 PM CHAIR SHAW announced that HJR 3 would be held over. HB 8-ELECTRIC-ASSISTED BICYCLES  3:12:53 PM CHAIR SHAW announced that the final order of business would be HOUSE BILL NO. 8, "An Act relating to electric-assisted bicycles." 3:13:30 PM REPRESENTATIVE ASHLEY CARRICK, Alaska State Legislature, prime sponsor, welcomed questions from members of the committee. REPRESENTATIVE ALLARD asked why electric assisted scooters were excluded from the bill. REPRESENTATIVE CARRICK explained that when the legislation was initially drafted roughly five years ago, electric assisted bicycles "e-bikes" were an emerging area of recreation and transportation. She stated that the bill was drafted in response to the need for a clear statutory definition of e-bike. She observed that electric assisted scooters were a less lucrative form of recreation in Alaska. REPRESENTATIVE ALLARD asked whether e-bikes could be used for hunting. REPRESENTATIVE CARRICK clarified that the purpose of HB 8 was to classify e-bikes as bicycles, thereby allowing them to be operated in the same places as bicycles. Consequently, she opined that if bicycles could be used for hunting, so too could e-bikes. She reiterated that the goal was to define e-bikes in statute and provide further clarification with the three-tier classification system allowing the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and municipalities to further regulate their usage. 3:17:50 PM CHAIR SHAW shared a personal anecdote and asked whether bicycle charging stations would be placed in different locations in the future. REPRESENTATIVE CARRICK said, "I don't think so." She shared her understanding that e-bikes were self-contained systems, adding that they could be re-charged via pedaling. 3:18:57 PM REPRESENTATIVE C. JOHNSON pointed out that the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail in Anchorage restricted the use of motorized vehicles. He sought to verify that the bill would effectually declassify e-bikes as "motorized," thereby allowing their usage on trails. REPRESENTATIVE CARRICK reported that the Municipality of Anchorage (MOA) adopted the same three-class definition of e- bike proposed in HB 8; therefore, e-bikes were allowed on any non-motorized trail system in Anchorage, including the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail. She pointed out that the MOA could choose to further regulate e-bikes by restricting their usage to less than 28 mph with full assist on a class 3 bike, for example. 3:20:25 PM REPRESENTATIVE WRIGHT moved to report HB 8 out of committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes. There being no objection, HB 8 was reported out of the House State Affairs Standing Committee. 3:20:41 PM The committee took a brief at-ease. 3:20:50 PM CHAIR SHAW offered closing remarks. 3:21:08 PM ADJOURNMENT  There being no further business before the committee, the House State Affairs Standing Committee meeting was adjourned at 3:21 p.m.