03/25/2002 10:05 AM House RLS

HB 207-REALIGNMENT OF JUDICIAL DISTRICTS                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR KOTT announced  that the only order of  business before the                                                               
committee would  be HOUSE BILL NO.  207, "An Act relating  to the                                                               
judicial districts of the state."                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Number 0038                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE McGUIRE  moved that the committee  adopt CSHB 207,                                                               
Version   22-LS0518\J,  Luckhaupt,   3/20/02,   as  the   working                                                               
document.   There being  no objection, Version  J was  before the                                                               
committee.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE MARY KAPSNER,  Alaska State Legislature, testified                                                               
as the  sponsor of HB 207,  which she characterized as  a cleanup                                                               
bill.   She explained that  HB 207  places 13 villages  along the                                                               
coast and  Yukon Rivers,  which are commonly  referred to  as the                                                               
Wade Hampton  Census Area, in  the same judicial district  as the                                                               
court  that  they are  currently  going  through.   The  judicial                                                               
boundaries  were established  upon  statehood and  were based  on                                                               
election  districts  and  thus reflected  the  communication  and                                                               
commerce  systems of  that time,  which has  changed quite  a bit                                                               
since then.   Bethel [has  developed] into  the hub and  thus she                                                               
said  she  feels that  those  on  the  Yukon [Rivers]  should  be                                                               
officially  part of  the Bethel  venue district.   Representative                                                               
Kapsner pointed  out that Version  C adds Nabesna, which  faces a                                                               
similar  situation.   She also  pointed out  the change  in title                                                               
suggestion that is included in the packet.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Number 0206                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE BERKOWITZ moved that the committee adopt the                                                                     
title change amendment, Amendment 1, which reads as follows:                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
     An act moving election district  24 as described in the                                                                    
     Constitution of  the State of Alaska  at statehood from                                                                    
     the  second judicial  district to  the fourth  judicial                                                                    
     district  and  adding the  Nabesna  area  to the  third                                                                    
     judicial  district  and  removing it  from  the  fourth                                                                    
     judicial district.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
There being no objection, Amendment 1 was adopted.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Number 0236                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE BERKOWITZ moved to report  CSHB 207 as amended out                                                               
of   committee   with    individual   recommendations   and   the                                                               
accompanying zero  fiscal note.   There being no  objection, CSHB
(RLS) was reported from the House Rules Standing Committee.