Legislature(2005 - 2006)SENATE FINANCE 532
04/27/2006 09:00 AM Senate FINANCE
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SR6 | |
| SB291 | |
| SB315 | |
| SB274 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | SB 231 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | SB 291 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | SB 315 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | SB 274 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | SR 6 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 6
Creating and relating to the Senate VPSO Task Force.
This was the first hearing for this bill in the Senate Finance
Committee.
SENATOR RALPH SEEKINS, Chair, Senate Judiciary Committee, which
sponsored this bill communicated the resolution would create a
Senate task force to gather facts and further discussions to
improve the Village Public Safety Officers (VPSO) program. Many
rural communities in the State depend on the VPSO program for
police protection and law enforcement services.
Senator Seekins stated that upon review of a Rural Justice
Committee report [copy not provided] and information provided by
rural communities, the Senate Judiciary Committee determined
that forming a task force to review the program would be
beneficial. He also expressed that the commissioner of the
Department of Public Safety, which oversees the program, was
aware of the issues and would continue to address them.
Senator Seekins conveyed the task force would endeavor to
identify program weaknesses in order to determine why program
objectives have been unobtainable. The task force would develop
a report to include findings and recommendations for program
improvement.
9:11:34 AM
Co-Chair Green asked for further clarification of language on
page 1, lines 14 through 16, of the resolution that reads as
follows.
FURTHER RESOLVED that the public members of the task force
may receive per diem and travel expenses authorized for
boards and commissions under AS 39.20.180, subject to
available funding and approval by the task force chair; …
9:11:54 AM
Senator Seekins clarified that per diem for public members of
the task force would be limited to meals and lodging only. "No
honorarium of any kind" would be provided.
Co-Chair Green asked whether public member expenses would be
addressed via a reimbursement method.
Senator Seekins affirmed it would be a "dollar for dollar
reimbursement".
Co-Chair Green questioned whether the language was specific
enough in this regard.
Senator Seekins was "willing to craft" the language as deemed
necessary. Continuing, however, he assured that the intent of
the language would be adhered to.
Co-Chair Green voiced concern that the intent could be
challenged, as no monetary limitation was specified.
Senator Seekins communicated that, at his request, Tamara Cook,
Director, Legislative Legal and Research Services, had drafted
the language in question.
Co-Chair Green sought confirmation Ms. Cook considered the
language "restrictive enough".
Senator Seekins remarked that Ms. Cook deemed the language to be
reasonable. Furthermore, expenses would be subject to approval
by the task force chair. Reimbursable expenses would be limited
to meals and travel.
In concluding his remarks, Senator Seekins opined that task
force members traveling to rural areas of the State should be
provided meals and transported and housed in "a safe manner".
Committee members raised no further concerns.
9:13:20 AM
Co-Chair Green asked whether this legislation mirrored previous
efforts to address concerns about the VPSO program or whether
this action differed because circumstances have advanced to "a
new level".
Senator Seekins viewed the situation as reaching "a new level
where solid recommendations" and action must occur. Previous
discussions on the issue had not resulted in any action. The
goal for this task force would be to identify and further "solid
solutions".
9:14:07 AM
LORETTA BULLARD, President, Kawerak, Inc., testified via
teleconference from Nome. Kawerak is "one of six regional non-
profit corporations that contracts with the State to provide the
Village Public Safety Officer program". The VPSO program
operated by Kawerak employs eight people in 16 communities in
the Bering Straits region.
Ms. Bullard "encouraged" the Committee to support this
legislation and report it from Committee. The proposed task
force should travel to rural communities, regardless of whether
a VSPO program operates there, in order to "gather public input
on how the VPSO program can be improved. This service is so
desperately needed in the rural areas." The VPSO program could
"function more effectively". Filling vacant VPSO positions would
provide rural residents access "to law enforcement that they so
desperately need".
Ms. Bullard noted that the previous year, the VPSO contractors
had hired Dittman Research to conduct a public opinion survey of
the Program. The survey results could be shared with the task
force, who might find them "very illuminating in terms of the
rural perception of the VPSO program".
9:15:56 AM
Senator Olson asked Ms. Bullard whether she anticipated any new
information to be gleamed by this task force.
Ms. Bullard thought the effort could provide "an opportunity"
for Legislators to hear Rural Alaskans' comments regarding "the
need for the Program". A review of Statutes and regulations
governing the program and the wages paid to VPSOs would also be
appreciated. In addition, the "huge" role played by the VPSO
contract administrators, who firmly believe in the necessity of
the program, is "not reflected in the State program".
Ms. Bullard pointed out that the VPSO program is operating in
several communities whose city offices are staffed only a few
hours a day, and many of those communities are struggling to pay
their utility bills. While Alaska Congressman Senator Ted
Stevens successfully secured federal funds to assist in
renovating rural holding cells, that money has yet to be spent
and many "community holding cells are is dismal shape." The
Legislature should be aware of such issues and should assist
VPSO contractors and the Department of Public Safety in
addressing them.
9:17:30 AM
Senator Olson asked why the task force's Legislative membership
was limited to three Senate members.
Senator Seekins cited this as a Senate Resolution. The House of
Representatives could choose to participate.
Senator Olson applauded the effort to address this issue, as the
VPSO program is "very important" to Rural Alaska.
9:17:59 AM
Senator Olson moved to report the bill from Committee with
individual recommendations and accompanying fiscal note.
There being no objection, SR 6 was REPORTED from Committee with
new $70,000 fiscal note, dated April 27, 2006, from the
Legislative Affairs Agency.
Co-Chair Green stated the Resolution would move from Committee
with the understanding that the per diem would be limited to
meals and lodging only.
Senator Seekins affirmed.
9:18:40 AM
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