By SUZANNE DOWNING
March 22, 2026 – Two bills addressing firearm policy in Alaska — one expanding access to suppressors and another banning rapid-fire conversion devices — remain stalled in their first committees as lawmakers pass the midpoint of the 2026 legislative session, leaving their prospects increasingly uncertain.
With lawmakers now on Day 62 of the 120-day session, roughly 59 days remain. Measures that have not yet advanced out of their first committee referral often face steep odds, particularly as the calendar fills with budget work and priority legislation.
SB 243 would remove suppressors from prohibited weapons list
Senate Bill 243, introduced in February, would remove firearm suppressors, often called silencers, from Alaska’s statutory definition of “prohibited weapons.” The measure is sponsored by a bipartisan group of senators, including Sen. Scott Kawasaki, Sen. Cathy Tilton, Sen. Jesse Bjorkman, Sen. Robert Myers, Sen. Mike Cronk, and Sen. George Rauscher.
The change would align Alaska law more closely with federal policy, where suppressors are regulated under the National Firearms Act but not banned outright. Suppressors are commonly used for hearing protection during hunting and shooting sports.
Groups such as the NRA Institute for Legislative Action and the Sportsmen’s Alliance have backed the bill, saying it would prevent potential conflicts between state and federal law and preserve access for lawful users.
SB 243 currently sits in the Senate State Affairs Committee, with a likely next referral to Senate Judiciary if it advances.
SB 203 would ban conversion devices enabling rapid fire
Senate Bill 203, introduced earlier in the session, moves in the opposite direction. The Democrat proposal from Sen. Loki Tobin and Sen. Elvi Gray-Jackson would add state-level prohibitions on firearm conversion devices, such as kits that can enable rapid or fully automatic fire.
The devices are already illegal under federal law and a state prohibition could be redundant or risk unintended consequences for lawful firearm owners.
SB 203 also remains in its first committee of referral, Senate State Affairs, and has not yet advanced. It was heard by the committee and held on March 5.
Alaska Senate bill would make handgun machine-gun conversion devices a felony
Other firearm proposals pending
The stalled bills come amid a broader set of firearm-related proposals introduced this cycle. Those include legislation aimed at preventing financial institutions from discriminating against firearm businesses, as well as earlier proposals for extreme risk protection orders, sometimes referred to as “red flag” laws.
None of those measures have yet produced major changes to Alaska’s core firearm policies. Alaska remains a permitless carry state for concealed firearms for individuals 21 and older who may legally possess a firearm, and the state does not require registration or background checks for most private sales.
With more than half the session complete and both SB 243 and SB 203 still in their first committees, time is becoming a factor. Bills that fail to move soon must clear multiple committees in both chambers before the session adjourns.
