The Department of Public Safety has done a remarkable job of ensuring fair and speedy processing of applications. However, Alaskans have voiced some complaints on overly restrictive and confusing prohibitions and regulations leading to a burdensome waste of time. Many of these stipulations were included in the original legislation due to courteous consideration of the dire predictions of mayhem in the streets from some members of the legal community and law enforcement. None of those dire predictions has proven accurate during years of experience and it is appropriate to restore equal rights for law-abiding citizens. For the most part, the law is working.
Crime is down.
According to the information we have from the Department of Public Safety, of 6,300 permittees, not one person has used their concealed handgun to commit a crime. Even though legislation last year prohibited anyone from drinking and carrying a concealed handgun, some felt that whether one was drinking or not, no concealed handguns should be allowed in bars. This bill does not change other state law restricting carrying weapons in bars or schools. All the other existing laws restricting handguns in bars and schools remain in force. If 300,000 adult Alaskans can legally carry a handgun openly, there is no reason to have greater restrictions for the 6,300 Alaskans who have been fingerprinted, checked, trained and permitted.