1994-02-04                     Senate Journal                      Page 2683
SB 276                                                                       
"An Act relating to criminal justice information;                             
providing procedural requirements for obtaining                                
certain criminal justice information; and providing                            
for an effective date."                                                        
                                                                               
was read the first time and referred to the Judiciary and Finance              
Committees.                                                                    
                                                                               
Fiscal note from Department of Corrections and zero fiscal notes               
from Department of Health and Social Services, Department of Law               
and Department of Public Safety published today.                               
                                                                               
Governor's transmittal letter dated February 4:                                
                                                                               
Dear Mr. President:                                                            
                                                                               
Under the authority of art. III, sec. 18, of the Alaska Constitution,          
I am transmitting a bill relating to criminal justice information.             
                                                                               
The need for new Alaska legislation on the subject of criminal                 
justice information and computer information systems has been                  
recognized for a number of years.  If accurate and complete, these             
information systems provide a measure of protection for law                    
enforcement officers on the front line of the battle against crime and         
provide needed information for all parts of the criminal justice               
system and the public.  At the same time, provisions are needed for            
the security and privacy of the information contained in these                 
systems.  Under the bill, "criminal justice information" does not              
include records relating to juvenile offenders.                                
                                                                               
The federal Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988 required the United States             
Department of Justice to develop a system for more immediate and               
accurate identification of offenders, which resulted in voluntary              
national standards being developed.  The Department of Justice                 
recommended that all states (1)implement mandatory reporting of all            
criminal justice information, (2)monitor case dispositions and adopt           
unique case-tracking numbers to improve data accuracy, (3)ensure               
timely submission of fingerprint records, (4)provide standardized              
data entry, and (5)provide audits, training, and data security.  This