Alaska House Bill 184, NRA-ILA sponsored legislation, was signed into law by Governor Frank Murkowski on Thursday, July 21.
HB 184 will provide two significant benefits for law-abiding firearm owners. First, HB 184 strengthens and broadens the existing Alaska State Firearm Preemption statute. It will standardize all firearm laws throughout the State of Alaska and will make null and void any local ordinances that are more restrictive than current state law. Second, HB 184 will limit the ability of persons and entities to restrict the possession of firearms by law-abiding citizens in their vehicles. The right of self-defense is being limited by employers and parking lot owners who are prohibiting the possession of firearms by law-abiding citizens in their locked vehicles. Under the new law, no person or entity may prohibit another law-abiding individual from possessing a firearm within his or her vehicle. The prohibition does not apply to a company vehicle or within 300 feet of restricted access areas.
House Bill 184 is of the utmost importance to Alaska`s law-abiding firearm owners and is a critical addition to the body of Alaska law which supports the State Constitutional Right to Keep and Bear Arms.