Legislature(2017 - 2018)
2018-01-19 House Journal
Full Journal pdf2018-01-19 House Journal Page 2206 HB 290 HOUSE BILL NO. 290 by the House Rules Committee by request of the Governor, entitled: "An Act relating to the membership of the Alaska Criminal Justice Commission; and providing for an effective date." was read the first time and referred to the Health & Social Services and Judiciary Committees. The following fiscal note(s) apply: 1. Zero, Dept. of Health & Social Services The Governor's transmittal letter dated January 17 follows: "Dear Speaker Edgmon: Under the authority of Article III, Section 18, of the Alaska Constitution, I am transmitting a bill relating to the Alaska Criminal Justice Commission membership. The Alaska Criminal Justice Commission was established to evaluate a broad spectrum of criminal justice subjects including sentencing and criminal justice practices, the rights of victims and of the accused, restitution, and reformation. The Commission's membership includes voices from the Alaska Native community, the judicial system, municipal law enforcement, victim's rights advocates and legislators (in a nonvoting, ex officio capacity) and many other perspectives. 2018-01-19 House Journal Page 2207 Chapter One, 4SSLA 2017, added the Commissioner of the Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS), or the Commissioner's designee, to the Alaska Criminal Justice Commission as a nonvoting member serving ex officio. Because the Commissioner of DHSS oversees the Division of Juvenile Justice and the Division of Behavioral Health, their membership ought to include voting authority. This bill would change the Commissioner of DHSS, or the Commissioner's designee, from a nonvoting member to a voting member. Adjusting this Commissioner's membership to include voting authority will bring a juvenile justice and behavioral health perspective to the Commission's important work. Further, the DHSS Commissioner will bring needed input to help better integrate DHSS programming into the overall adult and juvenile criminal justice reform efforts. This bill would also add as a member a resident of the state who was the victim of a felony crime. This addition will bring the needed perspective of victims to the Commission's evaluations of criminal justice subjects. Furthermore, this will return to having an odd number of Commissioners for voting purposes which was the case prior to the enactment of Chapter One, 4SSLA 2017. I urge your prompt and favorable action on this measure. Sincerely, /s/ Bill Walker Governor"