02/09/2022 01:30 PM Senate JUDICIARY

         HB 155-COURT SYSTEM PROVIDE VISITORS & EXPERTS                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
1:35:14 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR HOLLAND announced  the consideration of HOUSE  BILL NO. 155                                                               
"An  Act  relating  to   court-appointed  visitors  and  experts;                                                               
relating  to  the powers  and  duties  of  the office  of  public                                                               
advocacy; relating to  the powers and duties of  the Alaska Court                                                               
System; and providing for an effective date."                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
[HB 155 was previously heard on 1/31/2022 and 2/2/2022. Public                                                                  
testimony was opened and closed on 2/22/2022.]                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR HOLLAND turned to amendments on HB 155.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
1:35:40 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR KIEHL moved to adopt Amendment 1, work order 32-                                                                        
LS0698\B.1.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
                                                   32-LS0698\B.1                                                                
                                                        Radford                                                                 
                                                         2/3/22                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
                          AMENDMENT 1                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     OFFERED IN THE SENATE                     BY SENATOR KIEHL                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     Page 4, line 21:                                                                                                           
          Following "to":                                                                                                       
          Insert "the provision of visitors and experts in"                                                                     
          Following "and":                                                                                                      
          Insert "the provision of visitors in"                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
     Page 4, line 22:                                                                                                           
          Delete "commenced"                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
     Page 4, line 24:                                                                                                           
          Following "provide":                                                                                                  
          Insert "for the services of"                                                                                          
          Following the second occurrence of "and":                                                                             
          Insert "for the services of"                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
     Page 4, line 25:                                                                                                           
          Delete "that were commenced"                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR HOLLAND objected for discussion purposes.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
1:35:50 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR KIEHL explained  that Amendment 1 would  provide a smooth                                                               
transfer of the  Court Visitor Program from the  Office of Public                                                               
Advocacy  (OPA) to  the Alaska  Court System.  Amendment 1  would                                                               
allow  the agencies  to hand  off cases  on the  bill's effective                                                               
date, so both agencies would not be carrying the cases.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
1:36:43 PM                                                                                                                    
MICHAEL  MASON, Staff,  Representative Chris  Tuck, Alaska  State                                                               
Legislature, Juneau, Alaska,  on behalf of the  sponsor, said the                                                               
sponsor has no objection to Amendment 1.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
1:36:58 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  HOLLAND  removed his  objection.  There  being no  further                                                               
objection, Amendment 1 was adopted.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
1:37:07 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  KIEHL  moved  to  adopt  Amendment  2,  work  order  32-                                                               
LS0698\B.2.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
                                                   32-LS0698\B.2                                                                
                                                        Radford                                                                 
                                                         2/4/22                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
                          AMENDMENT 2                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     OFFERED IN THE SENATE                     BY SENATOR KIEHL                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     Page 4, line 29:                                                                                                           
          Delete "2021"                                                                                                         
          Insert "2022"                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR HOLLAND objected for discussion purposes.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
1:37:18 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  KIEHL  explained  that  Amendment  2  would  update  the                                                               
effective date of the bill.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
1:37:30 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  HOLLAND   removed  his   objection;  hearing   no  further                                                               
objection, Amendment 2 was adopted.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
1:37:47 PM                                                                                                                    
MICHAEL  MASON, Staff,  Representative Chris  Tuck, Alaska  State                                                               
legislature,   Juneau,  Alaska   stated   that  HB   155  was   a                                                               
collaborative effort  between the  three branches  of government,                                                               
the  sponsor appreciated  the  work the  committee  put into  the                                                               
bill.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
1:38:09 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  HUGHES  asked  if  the   court  visitors'  clients  were                                                               
supportive of the  bill. She asked if the sponsor  had heard from                                                               
any of the  senior groups on HB 155 since  many seniors use court                                                               
visitors.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
MR.  MASON  stated  that  the  sponsor  solicited  comments  from                                                               
several organizations and did not  receive any negative comments.                                                               
He deferred  to Mr. Wooliver  or Office of Public  Advocacy (OPA)                                                               
to respond.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
1:39:05 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR HUGHES commented  that she was glad to hear  there was no                                                               
opposition. She said she was comfortable with HB 155.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
1:39:28 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR HOLLAND recognized Representative Tuck.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
1:39:37 PM                                                                                                                    
REPRESENTATIVE  CHRIS  TUCK,  Alaska State  Legislature,  Juneau,                                                               
Alaska, speaking as sponsor of  HB 155, thanked the committee for                                                               
considering the bill. He characterized  HB 155 as a clean-up bill                                                               
that will  make the Court  Visitor Program run more  smoothly and                                                               
efficiently.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
1:40:10 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR HUGHES  moved to report  HB 155, work  order 32-LS0698\B,                                                               
as amended,  from committee  with individual  recommendations and                                                               
attached fiscal note(s).                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  HOLLAND  found  no  objection, and  SCS  HB  155(JUD)  was                                                               
reported from the Senate Judiciary Standing Committee.