1998-02-02                     House Journal                      Page 2201
HB 375                                                                       
relating to registration of certain sex offenders; relating to                
sentencing for certain crimes involving child victims; relating to             
the state medical examiner and reviews of child fatalities; relating           
to teacher certification and convictions of crimes involving child             
victims; relating to access, confidentiality, and release of certain           
information concerning the care of children, child abuse and                   
neglect, and child fatalities; authorizing the Department of Health            
and Social Services to enter into an interstate compact concerning             
adoption and medical assistance for certain children with special              
needs; authorizing the establishment of a multidisciplinary child              
protection team to review reports of child abuse or neglect;                   
relating to immunity from liability for certain state actions                  
concerning matters involving child protection and fatality reviews             
and children in need of aid; relating to persons required to report            
suspected child abuse or neglect; relating to foster care placement            
and to payment for children in foster and other care and the waiver            
of certain foster care requirements; relating to the access to certain         
criminal justice information and licensure of certain child care               
facilities; amending Rule 218, Alaska Rules of Appellate                       
Procedure; amending Rules 1, 3, 15, 18, and 19, Alaska Child in                
Need of Aid Rules; and providing for an effective date."                       
                                                                               
was read the first time and referred to the Health, Education & Social         
Services, Judiciary and Finance Committees.                                    
                                                                               
The following fiscal note applies:                                             
                                                                               
Indeterminate fiscal note, Office of the Governor/Various Depts.,              
2/2/98                                                                         
                                                                               
The Governor's transmittal letter dated January 30, 1998, appears              
below:                                                                         
                                                                               
"Dear Speaker Phillips:                                                        
                                                                               
More than 15,500 reports of child abuse or neglect were filed last year        
in Alaska.  National statistics have shown Alaska has the highest rate         
of child abuse and neglect among all 50 states with 38 substantiated           
cases  for  every  1,000  children  in  the  state's  population.  These