2004-02-16                     Senate Journal                      Page 2177
SB 336                                                                                            
SENATE BILL NO. 336 BY THE SENATE RULES COMMITTEE                                                   
BY REQUEST OF THE GOVERNOR, entitled:                                                               
                                                                                                    
          "An Act imposing a correctional facility surcharge on                                     
          persons convicted of a crime under state law, and on                                      
          persons whose probation is revoked; relating to fees                                      
          and expenses for interstate transfer of probation or                                      
          parole; and providing for an effective date."                                             
                                                                                                    
was read the first time and referred to the Judiciary and Finance                                   
Committees.                                                                                         
                                                                                                    
The following fiscal information was published today:                                               
 Fiscal Note No. 1, Department of Law                                                               
                                                                                                    
Governor's transmittal letter dated February 13:                                                    
                                                                                                    
Dear President Therriault:                                                                          
                                                                                                    
Under the authority of article III, section 18, of the Alaska                                       
Constitution, I am transmitting a bill that would impose a surcharge on                             
persons convicted of an offense and on persons whose probation is                                   
revoked. The bill also would require a person under state probation or                              
parole supervision to pay an application fee for a requested transfer of                            
that supervision to another state.                                                                  
                                                                                                    
Alaska has an urgent need to mitigate the cost of its correctional                                  
facilities. The bill imposes a surcharge on a person who pleads guilty                              
or nolo contendere to, or is convicted of, a crime if the person was                                
arrested and taken to a correctional facility or is sentenced to a term of                          
imprisonment. The amount of the surcharge depends on the                                            
seriousness of the crime: $100 for a felony and $50 for a                                           
misdemeanor.                                                                                        
                                                                                                    
The bill also would impose a surcharge on a person placed on                                        
probation after conviction of a crime. The surcharge is collected only                              
if the defendant's probation is revoked for a probation violation and                               
the person was either arrested and taken to a correctional facility for                             
the violation, or sentenced to prison for it.                                                       

2004-02-16                     Senate Journal                      Page 2178
Alaska participates in the Interstate Compact for Adult Offender                                    
Supervision (Compact), which regulates the transfer of supervision for                              
persons under state probation and parole. The bill would establish an                               
application fee for persons under active probation or parole                                        
supervision who request an interstate transfer of supervision under the                             
Compact. According to the Department of Corrections, the great                                      
majority of other states already impose a fee for similar services. The                             
bill also would require the applicant to post a bond or deposit cash,                               
which would be forfeited if the state must escort the person back to                                
Alaska for confined supervision.                                                                    
                                                                                                    
I urge your prompt and favorable consideration of this proposal.                                    
                                                                                                    
Sincerely yours,                                                                                    
/s/                                                                                                 
Frank H. Murkowski                                                                                  
Governor