Legislature(2009 - 2010)BELTZ 211
04/10/2009 01:30 PM Senate JUDICIARY
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SB59 | |
| SB48 | |
| SB176 | |
| SB54 | |
| SB68 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | SB 54 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | SB 68 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| = | SB 59 | ||
| = | SB 48 | ||
| = | SB 176 | ||
SB 68-FELONS' RIGHT TO VOTE
2:58:12 PM
CHAIR FRENCH announced the consideration of SB 68.
LYNDA ZAUGG, Staff to Senator Davis, Alaska State Legislature
read the following sponsor statement:
Across the country, states handle the right to vote
for returning felons differently. Two states, Maine
and Vermont, do not take away a felon's right to vote.
Thirteen states allow felons to vote upon release from
incarceration. Twenty one, including Alaska, allow
felons to vote after they complete all
parole/probation requirements, while fourteen states
permanently disenfranchise certain felons. If our
belief is that felons once released have paid their
debt to society, returning their right to vote upon
release from incarceration would be a positive step.
SB 68 allows felons, upon release from incarceration,
to register to vote. This bill starts the process
which allows felons to start assuming responsibility
for reintegration in their communities. We are each
responsible for how our government works and we do
that through voting. In Alaska, 6081 Alaskans have
lost their right to vote because of felony
convictions. Currently, Alaska law bars the vote to
persons convicted of felonies of moral turpitude until
the expiration of a post-incarceration period of
parole or probation, which is often years after they
have reentered society to become productive citizens
and taxpayers.
Harsh sentencing laws over the past 30 years have
allowed the prison population to balloon, while
reducing the rehabilitative model to almost non
existent. Over 4.7 million Americans, or 1 in 43
adults, cannot vote due to felony convictions, with
1/3 or more of them incarcerated due to alcohol and
drug offenses. In Alaska, we have gone from slightly
over 800 prisoners in 1984 to 5344 in 2008, an
increase of 149 percent. Of those incarcerated in
Alaska, 48 percent are Caucasian, 36 percent are
Alaska Native, 10 percent are African American, 3
percent are Hispanic, and 3 percent are Asian/Pacific
Islanders. Minority felons are disproportionately
disenfranchised nationally under current law, and the
harm of this continued disenfranchisement after
release is exacerbated by stigma and other forms of
discrimination as they try to reenter society. In
Alaska, 52 percent of our incarcerated offenders are
minorities.
In Alaska, we do not have a problem taking a person
off the voting roles if convicted of a felony, but we
do not have a system that will automatically allow
them to return to the voting rolls upon termination of
supervision. Voting is just one of many steps a
returning felon must make to become a productive
member of the community. This bill will help provide a
clear time for returning voting rights and provide an
important right/responsibility to felons returning to
their communities.
3:01:35 PM
MS. ZOAGG said according to the Division of Elections 6,081 are
not able to vote because of felony conviction, but those
represent people who were registered at the time of conviction.
That doesn't take into account those who were not registered.
MIKE MILLER, former Representative Miller, Alaska State
Legislature, Juneau stated that he was the author of the
original bill that is now being amended. This takes the intent
of the original bill and makes it better. He doesn't know why
the restrictions were placed in the bill, and he strongly feels
that it can only be positive to encourage people who have served
their time to assume all the responsibilities of good
citizenship, including voting. He would like to associate
himself with the remarks of Ms. Zoagg.
3:04:09 PM
DENISE MORRIS, President and CEO, Alaska Native Justice Center,
said they have reentry programs for males and females. Last week
they graduated eight men, which saves the state $350,000. The
graduation requirements are to obtain valid ID; register to
vote; obtain a 30 hour per week job; participate in a trade
school, vocational school or secondary education program; obtain
housing; actively participate in weekly meetings with a case
manager; actively participate in weekly support groups; attend
weekly MRT classes; engage in 40 hours of community work
service; form a support group; and participate in the adult
reentry program for 6 months. The reason they have the voting
requirement is because statistics shows it reduces recidivism.
Alaska Natives are overrepresented in the population that is
disenfranchised. "The Alaska Native Justice Center supports
lessening the restrictions on felony disenfranchisement, in
particular fewer restrictions on felony voting rights will bring
Alaska into the modern national trend," she said.
3:07:41 PM
JEFFREY MITTMAN, Executive Director, American Civil Liberties
Union (ACLU), Anchorage, said he is speaking in support of SB
68. It would reduce the voting disenfranchisement of individuals
who were formerly incarcerated. More than half of the
disenfranchised people are on probation or parole and this would
increase their rights. 20 states have restrictions that are less
stringent than Alaska has. Research indicates that there is a
link between voting participation and the likelihood not to re-
offend. For that and other reasons, a number of organizations
involved in criminal law enforcement support this type of
legislation including the American Parole Association, the
National Black Police Association and the American Bar
Association. Minority communities are disproportionately
impacted. He asked the committee work on technical fixes to
reduce the documentation requirements to make it easier to
transition to voting rights.
3:10:12 PM
CHAIR FRENCH announced he would hold SB 68 in committee.
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