Legislature(1995 - 1996)
04/15/1996 01:30 PM Senate 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 18 STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS:POLICE/CORONERS WILDA WHITAKER, staff to Representative Therriault, sponsor of HB 18, explained the bill is intended to bring the statute of limitations for civil actions brought against peace officers and coroners into conformity with the statute of limitations for civil actions brought against private persons. It reduces from three years to two the period in which civil actions can be brought against police officers and coroners. Alaska statutes are based on Oregon statutes which are based on New York statutes. New York's laws originally set the statute of limitations for civil suits brought against a private person at six years, and against a peace officer at three years. The statute of limitations for peace officers was shorter because it was recognized that police officers need to be free from excessive harassment to carry out their duties. After adopting New York statutes, the State of Oregon reduced the time for bringing civil suits against private persons from six years to two, but failed to correspondingly reduce the statute of limitations against peace officers, which remained at three. This is how the Oregon law stood when Congress enacted it for Alaska. What was intended to provide a shorter statute of limitations for peace officers is now longer than that against the general public. HB 18 would bring an antiquated statute into conformity with more recent law. HB 18 is one of the Alaska Peace Officers Association's priority pieces of legislation. The measure passed the House Judiciary Committee with seven "Do Pass" recommendations and passed the full House 38 to 0. SENATOR ADAMS moved HB 18 out of committee with individual recommendations. There being no objection, the motion carried.
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