The House has passed the bill — HB69 — that allows Alaskan troopers or police officer to arrest federal agents who try to enforce federal firearm regulations in the state. It was an interesting debate that at one point reminded me of a speech I covered when then-governor Ross Barnett of Mississippi railed against the federal government’s encroachment of his State’s Rights.
I did thought interesting that part of today’s debate that pointed out that Alaska’s marijuana laws are completely opposed to the federal laws. As an aside, those state laws don’t put FBI agents in jail.
However, I won’t go into invalid laws. It passed. That’s enough. Maybe it’s over.
However, for just a moment, please remember the federal actions that started this debate was a reaction to an event where one mentally sick kid, one freak, killed 26 people – children and staff – in an elementary school.
A lot of things came to the surface as ways to prevent that sort of atrocity from ever happening again. Better mental health services, gun controls, armed guards, physical controls have all been talked about.
So, Speaker Mike Chenault sponsored the bill. It’s a notch on the butt of his cane. But let’s not forget the reason this whole thing came up.
Mike Chenault will have to answer what we are going to do now to make parents and teachers more comfortable with the level of safety at their schools? Do you have a Plan B, Mr. Speaker?
What now, Mike? I’m ready for it.
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