Legislature(1997 - 1998)
1997-04-29 Senate Journal
Full Journal pdf1997-04-29 Senate Journal Page 1546 SB 60 SENATE BILL NO. 60 An Act providing for an advisory vote on the issue of capital punishment was read the second time. Senator Ellis offered Amendment No. 1 : Page 1, line 8: Delete Shall Insert If the Alaska State Legislature enacts a law providing for capital punishment for murder, the following additional annual fiscal cost to the following result. (INSERT FISCAL COSTS) Considering this, shall Page 1, following line 12: Insert a new bill section to read: *Sec 2. Each department that expects to be affected by the enactment of a law providing for capital punishment for murder in the first degree shall submit an estimate of that fiscal impact to the lieutenant governor not less than 180 days before the time the question in sec. 1 of the Act will appear on the ballot. The lieutenant governor shall insert those estimates into the question at the place shown in sec. 1 of this Act. Senator Ellis moved for the adoption of Amendment No. 1. Senator Taylor objected. The question being: Shall Amendment No. 1 be adopted? The roll was taken with the following result: 1997-04-29 Senate Journal Page 1547 SB 60 SB 60 Second Reading Amendment No. 1 YEAS: 6 NAYS: 11 EXCUSED: 3 ABSENT: 0 Yeas: Adams, Duncan, Ellis, Hoffman, Mackie, Wilken Nays: Donley, Halford, Leman, Miller, Parnell, Pearce, Phillips, Sharp, Taylor, Torgerson, Ward Excused: Green, Kelly, Lincoln and so, Amendment No. 1 failed. Senator Duncan offered Amendment No. 2 : Page 1, line 1 through line 12, Delete all material. Insert: An Act directing an advisory vote on whether the Alaska State Legislature should provide by law for life imprisonment without the possibility of parole for the crime of murder in the first degree or provide by law for the death penalty for the crime of murder in the first degree or retain the existing penalty for the crime of murder in the first degree. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: Section 1. ADVISORY VOTE AUTHORIZED. The lieutenant governor shall place before the qualified voters of the state at the next statewide general election the question advisory to the legislature of whether the legislature should provide by law for life imprisonment without the possibility of parole for the crime of murder in the first degree, whether the legislature should provide by law for the death penalty for the crime of murder in the first degree, or whether the legislature should retain the existing penalty for the crime of murder in the first degree. The question shall appear on the ballot in substantially the following form: 1997-04-29 Senate Journal Page 1548 SB 60 QUESTION Which of the following alternatives should the legislature provide by law for the crime of murder in the first degree? [ á Life imprisonment without the possibility of parole [ á Death penalty [ á Retain the 20-99 year sentence in current law Senator Duncan moved for the adoption of Amendment No. 2. Senator Taylor objected. The question being: Shall Amendment No. 2 be adopted? The roll was taken with the following result: SB 60 Second Reading Amendment No. 2 YEAS: 5 NAYS: 12 EXCUSED: 3 ABSENT: 0 Yeas: Adams, Duncan, Ellis, Hoffman, Mackie Nays: Donley, Halford, Leman, Miller, Parnell, Pearce, Phillips, Sharp, Taylor, Torgerson, Ward, Wilken Excused: Green, Kelly, Lincoln and so, Amendment No. 2 failed. Senator Adams offered Amendment No. 3 : Page 1, line 8: Delete "Shall" Insert "Knowing that the death penalty has been applied disproportionately to Alaska Natives and other minorities historically in Alaska and the other states that have, or have had, a death penalty, shall" Senator Adams moved for the adoption of Amendment No. 3. Senator Taylor objected. 1997-04-29 Senate Journal Page 1549 SB 60 The question being: Shall Amendment No. 3 be adopted? The roll was taken with the following result: SB 60 Second Reading Amendment No. 3 YEAS: 5 NAYS: 12 EXCUSED: 3 ABSENT: 0 Yeas: Adams, Duncan, Ellis, Hoffman, Mackie Nays: Donley, Halford, Leman, Miller, Parnell, Pearce, Phillips, Sharp, Taylor, Torgerson, Ward, Wilken Excused: Green, Kelly, Lincoln and so, Amendment No. 3 failed. SENATE BILL NO. 60 will appear on the April 30 calendar.