The Haines Borough Assembly is considering a resolution to make the borough a ‘second amendment sanctuary.’ Under the resolution, the borough would oppose any efforts to unconstitutionally restrict the right to bear arms.

Assemblymember Paul Rogers said he drafted the resolution to make Haines a second amendment sanctuary because he is worried that the Biden Administration is infringing on the right to bear arms. 

“The President made it pretty clear, he’s going to move on gun control. In some manner or other, he would like to go back to the late 1990s. In the Gun Control Act of that time, that limited the types of weapons they have. I don’t think those things results in a reduction in crime,” Rogers said.

In Rogers’ view, any efforts by the federal government to register firearms, restrict magazine sizes, or restrict purchases of weapons like the AR-15 would be a violation of the second amendment. 

While the resolution acknowledges that the borough has no authority to regulate firearms, Rogers said it spells out the community’s role in resisting federal efforts to curtail citizens’ constitutional rights. 

“Basically what it says is we’re not going to use our police officers, our facilities, our resources, our personnel, anything to support violations of the Second Amendment of the United States,” Rogers said.

Haines would not be the first community in Alaska to adopt such a resolution. The Kenai Peninsula Borough voted to become a ‘second amendment sanctuary’ last summer. 

There have been 41 mass shootings in the United States during the month of April. The country has the 32nd highest rate of gun violence in the world, ranking far higher on the list than any other developed country. Alaska also has the highest gun death rate per capita of any state in the U.S. 

When asked if he sees gun violence as a problem in the U.S., Rogers said the violence is related to a lack of enforcement. 

“We have ample laws at the federal, state, and local levels that if used correctly will severely restrict gun violence. Honest people don’t commit terrible crimes for the most part,” Rogers said.

The Haines Borough Assembly will consider whether to adopt Rogers’ resolution at its next meeting on May 11. Details on how to participate via Zoom are available at hainesalaska.gov.