Two pro-gun bills, House Bill 1389 and House Bill 1348, were heard on Thursday March 12, but only testimony was heard and no action was taken.
HB 1389 currently resides in the Senate Political Subdivisions Committee. Sponsored by State Representative Karen Karls (R-35), this bill would allow all concealed carry permit holders to carry in public parks, including state parks. While the U.S. Department of the Interior recently changed its regulations to permit persons with concealed handgun licenses to possess and carry a firearm in National Parks and Wildlife Refuges, current North Dakota law prohibits permit holders from carrying in state parks. HB 1389 would correct this problem and extend permit holders Second Amendment rights to state and public parks.
HB 1348, introduced by State Representative Duane DeKrey (R-14), is in the Senate Government and Veterans Affairs Committee. HB 1348 originally would have allowed concealed carry permit holders to carry on university campuses in North Dakota, removing such facilities from the prohibited list. However, the bill was amended significantly in House action. HB 1348 now addresses a different issue, instead focusing on a storage problem for students who were forced to check their firearms into security "storage lockers" which have become full. The bill allows students to store their guns in campus apartments and parking lots. The legislation does not deal with campus dorms or fraternity/sorority houses. Even though HB 1348 has been changed, it does effectively address a storage problem that campuses across the state have been dealing with.
Please Contact the members of the Senate Political Subdivisions Committee listed below and respectfully urge them to support HB 1389. Also, please contact the members of the Senate Government and Veterans Affairs Committee and voice your support for HB 1348. Contact information can be found below.
Senate Political Subdivisions Committee
State Senator John Adrist (R-2) Chairman
jandrist@nd.gov
State Senator Curtis Olafson (R-10) Vice Chair
701-993-8240
colafson@nd.gov
State Senator Judy Lee (R-13)
701-739-3917
jlee@nd.gov
State Senator Arden Anderson (D-25)
701-642-6140
aranderson@nd.gov
State Senator JoNell Bakke (D-43)
jbakke@nd.gov
State Senator Jim Dotzenrod (D-26)
jdotzenrod@nd.gov
Senate Government and Veterans Affairs Committee
State Senator Dick Dever (R-32) Chairman
701-222-2604
ddever@nd.gov
State Senator Dave Oehlke (R-15) Vice Chair
701-662-8587
doehlke@nd.gov
State Senator Robert Horne (D-3)
701-852-6318
rhorne@nd.gov
State Senator Judy Lee (R-13)
701-282-6512
jlee@nd.gov
State Senator Richard Marcellais (D-9)
701-477-8985
rmarcellais@nd.gov
State Senator Carolyn Nelson (D-21)
701-235-5161
cnelson@nd.gov
