Explore The NRA Universe Of Websites

APPEARS IN Legal & Legislation

Alaska: Legislature Fails to Pass Pro-2A Legislation as it Adjourns

Friday, May 20, 2022

Alaska: Legislature Fails to Pass Pro-2A Legislation as it Adjourns

At midnight on Wednesday, the Alaska Legislature adjourned from its 2022 Legislative Session.  Mandatory firearm storage legislation, House Bill 203, failed to gain enough votes to pass in committee.  Unfortunately, Second Amendment Emergency Powers Protection Legislation, Senate Bill 136, fell short by just 2 votes for final passage in the afternoon hours of the session.

House Bill 203 – (“Safe Storage”) sought to give law enforcement the ability to issue a fine to gun owners of up to $1,000 if an unauthorized individual gains access to a firearm and proceeds to injure themselves or another. This bill essentially required firearms to be locked and rendered inaccessible for self-defense in the home.  HB 203 was another attempt to punish law-abiding gun owners for the crimes of criminals, while current state law already provides an avenue for cases where true negligence with a firearm is present.

Senate Bill 136, (“Emergency Powers Protections”) sponsored by Senator Myers, and co-sponsored by twenty-three other pro-2A legislators, sought to provide protections for gun stores, ranges, or any other entity that engages in the lawful selling or servicing of firearms, components, or accessories.  This measure would have prevented the prohibition, regulation, or seizure of citizens’ Second Amendment rights during a declared State of Emergency. SB 136 is a direct response to infringements on the Second Amendment that occurred across the country and right here, in Alaska, during the COVID-19 pandemic.  Firearms and access to them are critical to the Alaskan way of life. The bill fell short of passage by just 2 votes on the final day of the legislative session.

SB 136 had unanimously passed the Senate on March 16, 2022 and spent nearly two-months in the House Community and Regional Affairs Committee before receiving its passing vote of 5-2, on May 17, 2022. The House Companion bill, House Bill 179, sponsored by House Minority Leader Representative Cathy Tilton, has sat in the House Community and Regional Affairs Committee since its introduction on April 16, 2021. That bill never received a hearing. 

SB 136 was then advanced to the House Floor where it needed a 3/4 vote to advance from second to third reading. The bill endured hours of spirited debate and a few amendments were offered, including an attempt by the sponsor of HB 203, to add government issued firearms storage programs into the emergency powers bill – this amendment failed to pass by a vote of 16-24.  One amendment, offered by Representative Sara Rasmussen was adopted. This amendment would have required K-12 grade school districts to offer hunter safety education courses. SB 136 ultimately needed 30 votes to pass from second to third reading, procedurally. The final vote was 28-12.

The NRA would like to thank the pro-2A legislators who worked to advance this critical legislation, those who stood up against the anti-gun legislators throughout the legislative process, and those who worked to procedurally advance this bill to the Floor after anti-gun legislators attempted to stall its progress. The NRA would like to send a special thank you Senator Rob Myers (R- Fairbanks) and Minority Leader Representative Cathy Tilton (R – Wasilla), both 2A champions who sponsored the Emergency Powers bills and worked with leadership on both sides of the aisle to recognize that the right to keep and bear arms is bi-partisan and fundamental to Alaskans’ way of life.

Thank you to those legislators who supported our Second Amendment rights by supporting SB 136 and opposing HB 203.  Also, thank you to NRA Members and Second Amendment supporters who stayed in constant contact with their legislators in regards to these measures. Now that the Legislature has adjourned, NRA looks toward the 2022 Primary and General Elections to ensure that our Second Amendment rights are protected.​

TRENDING NOW
Undercover Video: Sen. Fetterman (D-Pa.) staffer claims boss would be “okay with like overturning the Second Amendment”

News  

Tuesday, May 30, 2023

Undercover Video: Sen. Fetterman (D-Pa.) staffer claims boss would be “okay with like overturning the Second Amendment”

It seems as though Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) may like to overturn more than just the U.S. Senate’s standards of professional attire. According to an undercover video of Fetterman senate staffer Luke Borwegen, obtained by O’Keefe Media Group, ...

Need a Good Lawyer? Don’t Use Anti-Gun Groups as a Resource

News  

Tuesday, May 30, 2023

Need a Good Lawyer? Don’t Use Anti-Gun Groups as a Resource

The anti-gun extremists at Giffords and March for Our Lives are running a joint operation to try to convince students in law school to sign a pledge to never represent anyone within “the gun industry or gun ...

Hypothesis or Hyperbole Gun Control Researchers Balk at Betting on Gun Control

News  

Tuesday, May 30, 2023

Hypothesis or Hyperbole Gun Control Researchers Balk at Betting on Gun Control

Dr. John Lott, Jr., a leading researcher and founder of the Crime Prevention Research Center (CPRC), recently embarked on an unusual personal experiment: how many pro-gun control academics would literally bet in favor of their own ...

Report: Biden Administration Weaponizes DHS “Anti-Terrorism” Program Against Political Opponents

News  

Tuesday, May 30, 2023

Report: Biden Administration Weaponizes DHS “Anti-Terrorism” Program Against Political Opponents

Those paying attention to official D.C. already know that Joe Biden’s political strategy involves portraying his political rivals, as not just wrong on policy or facts but as altogether illegitimate.

Updates to ATF Final Rule on Stabilizing Braces

News  

Monday, January 30, 2023

Updates to ATF Final Rule on Stabilizing Braces

On Monday, January 30, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives’ (ATF) published the final Factoring Criteria for Firearms with Attached “Stabilizing Braces” rule for public inspection in the federal register.

The Disingenuous “Assault Weapons” Ban

News  

Monday, May 8, 2023

The Disingenuous “Assault Weapons” Ban

On April 25, 2023, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee (D) signed HB1240 into law. The legislation is a sweeping, and flagrantly unconstitutional ban on commonly-owned semi-automatic firearms. The law prohibits a host of rifles by name, including America’s ...

Connecticut:  Gun Control Bill Passes the House and Moves to the Senate

Saturday, May 27, 2023

Connecticut: Gun Control Bill Passes the House and Moves to the Senate

On Thursday, the House passed HB 6667 on a vote of 96-51.  This drastic gun control legislation has a bit of everything.  It contains a ban on open carry and strengthens prohibitions and registration of semi-auto "assault ...

Pennsylvania:  House Democrat Majority Passes Gun Control by Slimmest of Margins

Tuesday, May 23, 2023

Pennsylvania: House Democrat Majority Passes Gun Control by Slimmest of Margins

The House Democrat Majority leadership carried through on one of their agenda items late Monday afternoon – attacking law-abiding gun owners.  There are only a couple of sticking points for the gun-grabbers leading the Pennsylvania House.  ...

U.S. House Judiciary Committee Advances Pistol Brace Resolution

News  

Monday, April 24, 2023

U.S. House Judiciary Committee Advances Pistol Brace Resolution

On April 19, the U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee voted 23-15 to advance H.J.Res.44, which would reign in the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ attempt to regulate pistol stabilizing braces. The resolution employs ...

California: Six Anti-Gun Bills Pass Chamber of Origin, Others Still Eligible for Votes

Tuesday, May 30, 2023

California: Six Anti-Gun Bills Pass Chamber of Origin, Others Still Eligible for Votes

Last week, the Assembly and Senate both held floor votes and passed three anti-gun bills each. In addition, other anti-gun bills in the Assembly are still eligible for floor votes ahead of the June 2nd deadline ...

MORE TRENDING +
LESS TRENDING -

More Like This From Around The NRA

NRA ILA

Established in 1975, the Institute for Legislative Action (ILA) is the "lobbying" arm of the National Rifle Association of America. ILA is responsible for preserving the right of all law-abiding individuals in the legislative, political, and legal arenas, to purchase, possess and use firearms for legitimate purposes as guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.