03/30/1998 02:25 PM House FIN

HOUSE BILL NO. 252                                                             
                                                                               
"An Act relating to criminal records; relating to                              
notice about and registration of sex offenders and                             
child kidnappers; and amending Rules 11(c) and 32(c),                          
Alaska Rules of Criminal Procedure."                                           
                                                                               
Co-Chair Therriault provided members with a proposed                           
committee substitute for HB 252, work draft 0-LS0818\Z,                        
3/12/98 (copy on file).  He also provided members with                         
Amendment 1 (copy on file).  Amendment 1 reduces to 35 the                     
minimum number of days a defendant convicted of failure to                     
register, as a sex offender or child kidnapper would serve.                    
This is a reduction from 90 days.  He explained that the                       
amendment is a response to fiscal concerns.                                    
                                                                               
REPRESENTATIVE JOE RYAN stated that the amendment would not                    
affect the legislation's effectiveness and would reduce the                    
fiscal cost.  Co-Chair Therriault noted that there would be                    
a reduction of approximately $87 thousand dollars to the                       
Department of Corrections.                                                     
                                                                               
DAVE PREE, STAFF, REPRESENTATIVE RYAN noted that the fiscal                    
note from the Alaska Public Defenders Agency contains a                        
reference to newspaper publication which is no longer                          
contained in the legislation.                                                  
                                                                               
Co-Chair Therriault MOVED to ADOPT Amendment 1.                                
Representative Ryan observed that the intent is to register                    
serious sex offenders.  Failure to register would carry a                      
minimum sentence of 35 days.  He stressed that the current                     
system is not working.  Offenders are receiving suspended                      
sentences and still not registering.  Co-Chair Therriault                      
pointed out that 35 days in jail would act as a deterrent.                     
Employment could be risked by the jail time.  There being NO                   
OBJECTION, Amendment 1 was adopted.                                            
                                                                               
Mr. Pree noted that the legislation currently requires the                     
information to be posted on the Internet.                                      
                                                                               
Co-Chair Therriault observed that the adoption of Amendment                    
1 requires a new fiscal note by the Department of                              
Corrections.  He added that the Alaska Public Defenders                        
Agency's fiscal note would be updated to reflect the current                   
version of the bill.                                                           
                                                                               
Representative Foster MOVED to ADOPT, work draft 0-LS0818\Z,                   
3/12/98 as amended by Amendment 1.  There being NO                             
OBJECTION, it was so ordered.                                                  
                                                                               
Representative Foster MOVED to report CSHB 252 (FIN) out of                    
Committee with the accompanying updated fiscal notes.                          
                                                                               
CSHB 252 (FIN) was REPORTED out of Committee with a "do                        
pass" recommendation and with five fiscal impact notes one                     
by the Alaska Court System, two by the Department of Public                    
Safety, one by the Department of Administration and one by                     
the Department of Corrections; and one zero fiscal note by                     
the Department of Law.