Legislature(2001 - 2002)
04/27/2001 01:10 PM House JUD
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
HB 207 - REALIGNMENT OF JUDICIAL DISTRICTS Number 1411 CHAIR ROKEBERG announced that the next order of business would be HOUSE BILL NO. 207, "An Act relating to the judicial districts of the state." CHAIR ROKEBERG called an at-ease from 1:32 p.m. to 1:34 p.m. Number 1420 REPRESENTATIVE MARY KAPSNER, Alaska State Legislature, sponsor, explained that HB 207 deals with a discrepancy between a judicial district and a court venue district. The Bethel court currently services the Lower Yukon region of Alaska; however, residents of that region are in the Third Judicial District, not the Fourth Judicial District. During the last election for the retention of judges, the people of the Lower Yukon area were not able to vote for (or against) the retention of the judge that services that area. The judicial district boundaries were established at statehood, she explained, and they were based on boundaries of the established election districts and reflected commerce and communication systems at that time. These systems have substantially changed since then. She said that HB 207 simply places court venue for that area within the proper judicial district. She mentioned that the Alaska Civil Liberties Union (AkCLU) supports HB 207. Number 1596 WILLIAM T. COTTON, Executive Director, Alaska Judicial Council (AJC), testified via teleconference and said simply that the AJC voted unanimously to recommend the change encompassed by HB 207. The AJC has recognized the problem even before Representative Kapsner sponsored this legislation. The people who live in villages apart from Bethel, he explained, are serviced by the courts of Bethel; it is the only practical way to provide such service, and these people are treated in every way as if they are in the Fourth Judicial District except that they are currently unable to vote on the judge that services them. He said that as a general rule, judicial districts should not be changed very often; however, in this particular instance, it makes a lot of sense and is a very fair thing to do. CHAIR ROKEBERG closed the public hearing on HB 207. Number 1690 REPRESENTATIVE JAMES moved to report HB 207 out of committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal note. There being no objection, HB 207 was reported out of the House Judiciary Standing Committee.
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