2018-01-18                     Senate Journal                      Page 1772
SB 148                                                                                                                        
SENATE BILL NO. 148 BY THE SENATE RULES COMMITTEE                                                                               
BY REQUEST OF THE GOVERNOR, entitled:                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
          "An Act relating to powers of the Alaska Police                                                                       
          Standards Council; and relating to background                                                                         
          checks for admission to police training programs and                                                                  
          certification as a police officer."                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
was read the first time and referred to the State Affairs and Judiciary                                                         
Committees.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
The following fiscal information was published today:                                                                           
 Fiscal Note No. 1, zero, Department of Corrections                                                                             
 Fiscal Note No. 2, zero, Department of Public Safety                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Governor's transmittal letter dated January 17:                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Dear President Kelly,                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Under the authority of Article III, Section 18, of the Alaska                                                                   
Constitution, I am transmitting a bill relating to the Alaska Police                                                            
Standards Council and national criminal background checks for                                                                   
prospective police officers.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
The Alaska Police Standards Council (Council) is within the                                                                     
Department of Public Safety, and is tasked with overseeing                                                                      
professional standards for employment as a police officer and other                                                             
law enforcement officials. Further, the Council is statutorily                                                                  
authorized to establish police training programs. A person may not be                                                           
certified as a police officer without going through the required training                                                       
and meeting other requirements the Council has established for the                                                              
employment of police officers.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
This bill adds to the Council's powers the ability for the Department of                                                        
Public Safety to request a national criminal history record check from                                                          
the Federal Bureau of Investigation for a person who applies to attend                                                          
a training program established by the Council or who seeks                                                                      
employment as a police officer by an employer that lacks the ability to                                                         
request a national criminal history record check. This bill would give