Alaska gun laws take effect Wednesday
Starting Wednesday, handgun owners won't need
permits to carry concealed weapons in the seven Alaska cities where they're
still required. There also will be no more restrictions on keeping a firearm in
a vehicle.
Starting Wednesday, handgun owners won't need permits to carry concealed weapons in the seven Alaska cities where they're still required. There also will be no more restrictions on keeping a firearm in a vehicle.
A new state anti-gun control law that goes into effect will essentially bar municipalities from passing gun laws that are more restrictive than state law.
------------
What the NRA wants to do is prevent cities from passing more restrictive laws in the future. It calls it state pre-emption, and Alaska will be the 44th state to have such a law on its books.
"We are looking to make it uniform to all 50 states," said NRA spokeswoman Kelly Hobbs. "Without it, it creates an unfair, inconsistent and confusing patchwork of local firearm ordinances."
------------
"There are lots of people, myself included, we really value our constitutional rights," said Anchorage Police Chief Walter Monegan. "But if we had the same enthusiasm to also support our constitutional responsibilities, then I would be less concerned over this issue."
Chenault argues that even though state law now does not specifically prohibit weapons in municipal buildings, it does prohibit them in state buildings, so a municipal law wouldn't be considered more restrictive.
The concept of state precedence over cities, like federal law over state, usually prevails in appellate courts. That’s “usually”.
Posted: Mon - October 17, 2005 at 06:58 AM