JUNEAU — A bill introduced in the Alaska House on Wednesday would make it a misdemeanor for a federal official or agent to try to enforce any new restrictions on gun ownership.
HB69, from House Speaker Mike Chenault, was introduced the same day that President Barack Obama unveiled a package of executive orders and legislative proposals aimed at curbing gun violence.
Obama’s proposals, which follow last month’s deadly shooting at a Connecticut school, include background checks for all gun sales and a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines. His 23 executive orders touched on such things as gun safety, background checks and mental health.
Chenault, in a news release, said work on his bill began before Obama’s announcement Wednesday.
“Tragedy is not a license for federal encroachment on constitutionally protected freedoms,” he said. “We can all agree that what happened in Newtown, Conn., was an absolute tragedy. But what we fundamentally disagree on is how you meet the challenge it presented.
“The president is using it to further his liberal agenda to try and disarm and disenfranchise law-abiding Americans from their enshrined Second Amendment rights,” he said. “No one should be comfortable with that, regardless of where you sit on the issue.”
His bill would deem unenforceable federal laws, orders, rules or regulations enacted or effective on or after the effective date of his bill that seek to ban or restrict ownership of a semi-automatic firearm or magazine, or that require a firearm, magazine or firearm accessory be registered. The bill says any federal official, agent or employee who tries to enforce any such provisions is guilty of a Class B misdemeanor.
Chenault, R-Nikiski, said he is building on a measure that passed the state Legislature in 2010, that exempted personal firearms, accessories or ammunition manufactured in Alaska from federal law or regulation, including registration.
HB69 has an immediate effective date, but Chenault plans to work with a House committee to make the effective date retroactive to Jan. 1, should the bill pass.
The measure had at least 11 Republican co-sponsors by late Wednesday afternoon.
Comments (143)
Add commentWhat is wrong with tighter
Mike Chenault. Why don't you explain to Alaskans what's wrong with tighter background checks.
"instant background check, an average of 214 are rejected daily because the buyer is an ex-con, has been involuntarily committed to a mental hospital or is prohibited from owning a gun for another reason".
Right now gun purchasers don't get screened at gun shows and they can load up on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines
serious question
for all the 2nd amendment 'heroes'.
If you truly believe the law in no way whatsoever has the right to limit the amount or type of firearms you "need" to have, then why not grenade launchers? Or mountable 50-cal guns? Or fully-automated machine guns with 100 round bandolier? Or a tank? Why shouldn't I be able to buy a tank, if I have the money?
Seriously - I assume there's a legal line already for these items - I'm just wondering where it is, and if those on this board frothing about one type of weapon being off-limits have a line on what kind of weapons should not be available, and where they would draw it?
Good question, SG
That question's been posed several time over the last few weeks in these discussions, but I've yet to see it answered. I've not posted much on these discussions because I'm still trying to wade through the complexity of issues - while I wholeheartedly dislike folks like RC having access to firearms, practical and ethical solutions to violence in the US can't be distilled down into one or two simple actions, at least as far as I can see. There was an excellent post above (I believe?) that all sorts of limitations are applied to free speech, right to privacy, and so on; limitations to the 2nd amendment would not appear any different, which brings us back to your question here.
I wonder if we tried to ban or limit access to science and math textbooks if people would rush out to buy them and read them?
heaven forbid..
we make it easier for criminals/nut cases to get a hold of 30 mag weapons and not a 7 mag weapon.
Surely, there is no difference between the two types of magazine clips, right Banditrider? I mean, if the virginia tech shooter had two 6 shooter revolvers, instead of two high mag pistols, the amount of deaths would have been the same, right?? That makes perfect sense!
No one ever said that this would solve every problem but it will help. Stop making it easier for mass murders.
It's always wise to keep an
It's always wise to keep an eye on the progressives - they're very patient in the way they go about instituting their agenda and it's always incrementally.
Although Obama's executive orders appear benign, there's a method to his madness. What he did by instructing doctors to be his go-between in ratting out the "crazy" people is just an ends to a means. It's the beginning of a government list. Then the next step is targeting certain "crazies". Say, like military veterans with PTSD. Incrementally, the agenda is achieved...
What Obama did yesterday was strengthen BOCare. And if your kids' doctor asks if you have guns in the house, tell them none of your business.
@ Abnotey, What are high
@ Abnotey, What are high capacity rounds? And for those who say Assault Weapons are nothing but weapons of war. Then why not ban the Mauser 98, Springfield M1903, M1917 Enfield or even the 30/06 for that matter? All of which were designed for the Military. These make great custom rifles for hunting and we all know how popular the 30/06 is. Also those executive orders he passed were nothing but a joke. Enforce those 20k laws that are already out there. I guess the word impeachment had something to do with it. As a middle class tax payer I don’t believe a thing this man says, especially after looking at my last pay check. Keep on believing he will not take all firearms, I for one am not taking a chance.
I can't even read this....
anymore cause all you bleeding heart liberals with your cockamany logic give me a terrible headache.....I wish y'all would just LEAVE!!!!!!!!!!! Go to one of those countries that have already banned guns and see if you survive one day....
By the way....
the only ones who actually own assualt weapons are the criminals....the rest of us citizens own DEFENSE weapons!!!!!!!!!!
"instant background check, an
"instant background check, an average of 214 are rejected daily” If that is the case then we should have 214 arrests daily, it is a felony to lie on form 4473. Just one of those 20k laws that are on the books but not enforced. Also please understand that if you go to a gun show and purchase from a dealer you still have to go through the background check, it’s the transfer between private owners you should be referring to. And it’s not a loop hole it is not against the law to do so.
Not bad, RC
I'd agree to those. They're a bit after the fact, but all laws are like that by definition. We'd also have to change some other laws to clear out prisons somewhat - remove absurd laws and prison sentences that are nothing more than security theater and really don't do anything towards making anybody safer.
You can't aim a grenade explosion.
Fully automatic firearms are less controllable than firing one round per trigger pull. Proper gun control is hitting only what you're aiming at.
But, then, shotgun patterns spread wider as distance increases. You don't hear them trying to outlaw your duck gun.
I like to keep slugs and 00 Buck by the door.
Good job House Speaker
I'd like to thank House Speaker Mike Chenault. I think the bill needs to go further and make state arrests further up the federal food chain for authorizing a field agent to go forward making an arrest.
Open Carry
It sounds like the time is ripe for law abiding Americans to start open carrying and displaying their 2nd ammendment right to bear arms.
rough cut
If George Zimmerman had used pepper spray instead of shooting an unarmed teenager, he wouldn't have had to look the parents of treyvon in the face and apologize for killing their son.
The Zimmerman thing
superhero you have no idea what happened and are one of a legion that simply talks out their tail on the subject.
good
So, you were there then? What happened? Please, set the record straight.
Alaskanstyle
Seung-Hui Cho was a law abiding citizen who practiced his second ammendment rights as well.................
This is just crazy...
"It sounds like the time is ripe for law abiding Americans to start open carrying and displaying their 2nd ammendment right to bear arms."
Is this a serious comment? Are you insane or are you just trolling? Can you possibly comprehend how disturbing it is to have whack jobs like yourself being the most outspoken proponents of gun ownership?
It is just not possible for me to fully express my contempt for cretins like you.
swimmergirl
Haven’t listened to him since kjno yanked him, although he did (at times) make sense. So lets leave the kids out of it. How about the murder of federal law enforcement agent Brian Terry. & while BO & Eric did not pull the trigger they set him up, that said the whole bunch of them should be in jail on murder 1 charges. But don’t you worry about it because the king is above the law all laws. Do I sound bitter? Well I guess I am, & for good reason the guys a dirt bag trying to tare this nation apart from sea to soiled sea. So swimmer what & where do you think you’d be if you were caught being involved in something as horrific as that? & please be honest if not with us at least with yourself.
HanSolo
What makes him a nut job? Please describe without sounding like one yourself.
OK
I'll try to compose my thoughts and get back to you on that.
souper
Actually, no I can't speak to it because I wasn't there. I can however speak to two subjects. One Zimmerman had a right to follow the subject. He had many rights in this instance. The only right he didn't have was to impede his passage. > Reportedly< there is no evidence that he did so.
Travor had a right to turn and confront him. He had no right touch him. If Zimmerman continued to follow him Travor's only legal option is to simply walk away. Zimmerman could follow - but in no way impede his passage.
The rest is up to the court subject to rules of evidence and law. It is however a little suspect that police initially - and for sometime - filed no charges on Zimmerman. When the issue became highly politicized upper level prosecutors intervened (for whatever reason). There is one school of thought that they know their case against Zimmerman is weak or non-existent under the law so they are dragging out the court date to delay self embarrassment.
In any case should they fail to adhere in any way to the rule of law and court procedure they will simply be appealed.
Here is some info on
Here is some info on Seung-Hui ChoIn. “In middle school, he was diagnosed with a severe anxiety disorder known as selective mutism, as well as major depressive disorder. After this diagnosis he began receiving treatment and continued to receive therapy and special education support until his junior year of high school. During Cho's last two years at Virginia Tech, several instances of his abnormal behavior, as well as plays and other writings he submitted containing references to violence, caused concern among teachers and classmates.” “On December 13, 2005, Cho was found "mentally ill and in need of hospitalization" So do you see a pattern here? Due to the laws for purchasing a firearm in Virginia he was able to purchase what he wanted. A flaw in the background check. However he did lie on the 4473 form so a felony was committed from the get-go.
Superhero, you are getting
Superhero, you are getting good at blasting these message boards with inflammatory nonsense that is factually inaccurate. For someone who so vehemently opposes other people's rights to own firearms, you would think you would actually do some research and know what it is you are saying before opening your pie hole in public. It is pathetically disgusting to read most of your posts on this subject.
Case in point; Cho was anything but a law abiding citizen when he went on his rampage. If you actually knew anything about the incident you would know that he had a long history of mental illness that was documented. He purchased his handguns illegally by not disclosing his history with mental illness, which would have disqualified him from buying them in the first place. Then he unlawfully carried said hand guns onto a gun free campus, thus again breaking the law. Then there is that pesky law that forbids "law abiding citizens" from unlawfully killing others. So tell me again how Cho was a "law abiding citizen exercising his 2nd amendment rights"!
Mr. Solo, your comments also
Mr. Solo, your comments also lead me to believe you are the one with a maladjusted anger problem who shouldn't be around firearms so it is probably a good thing that you are anti-gun. To "express contempt for creatons" because they want to express their constitutional rights in public shows your character and unwillingness to accept other people's views. This is a common trait in the anti-gun group who look down upon anyone who does not share their ideology.
really
If anything, you just helped the argument for tighter gun control...
Not to mention,
that he wasn't a US citizen. Cho was a permanent resident as a South Korean National. Pesky little things, facts.
For your consideration...
It’s crazy because we, as a species, have been striving over the last 7,000 years or so to develop civil societies. Now, to me, the fundamental aspect of a civil society, the very essence of it, is that we do not turn to violence as our primary problem solving algorithm. Humans are violent, I get it. But when we take that violent nature out of the forefront, we are immeasurably more prosperous. What is being proposed here by some of the more brash comments is that we retreat to violence… that we all walk around armed to hilt and ready to mow down the next person who looks at us crosswise. We might as well start walking around like we live in Mogadishu. As Mike Dzuiba pointed out a few days ago, “Arming everyone who can possibly be armed is not a sign of progress, it's a sign of a collapsing society.”
Guns are instruments of violence. As a civil society, we have an obligation to place limits on the magnitude, availability, and efficacy of instruments of violence.
P.S. I am a gun owner. I own an old .30-06. The sight is a little awkward and I’m thinking I might like to buy a .270 because I think that caliber is better suited to deer hunting here in southeast.
dartbucks
This is exactly why we need the measures Obama proposed and for this stupid misdemeanor b.s. to go away... thank you for helping our argument.
good
Zimmerman was told, by a police dispatcher, to step away. Besides, put yourself in Trayvons position and considering how you are a proponent of conceal carrying, you most likely would have shot Zimmerman...