04/08/2008 09:00 AM Senate STATE AFFAIRS

             HB 414-CRIME VICTIM COMPENSATION FUND                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
9:27:08 AM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR MCGUIRE announced consideration of HB 414.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
9:27:44 AM                                                                                                                    
REPRESENTATIVE JAY RAMRAS, Alaska  State Legislature, said HB 414                                                               
has  a companion  bill, SB  296. He  noted that  it is  the small                                                               
things that validate why the  legislature meets. Many people have                                                               
been victims of  crime, whether property or  violent crime. There                                                               
has been  a Violent Crime  Compensation Board (VCCB)  since 1972,                                                               
but  it is  difficult  to  ever make  someone  whole after  being                                                               
victimized.  But the  state can  compensate  people for  medical,                                                               
counseling,  funeral,  lost income  and  other  expenses. He  has                                                               
misgivings  about the  state creating  a  lot of  cookie jars  of                                                               
money,  but this  will be  worthwhile  because the  state is  now                                                               
foregoing the  opportunity to receive a  60 percent reimbursement                                                               
from the federal government. Increasing  the pot of money that is                                                               
available to  victims with a  60 percent reimbursement  that will                                                               
grow the  pot is an  opportunity to make  folks more whole  - and                                                               
that is the heart and soul of this bill.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
9:30:10 AM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR MCGUIRE  said the committee  has heard the  companion bill.                                                               
She noted the work of three people that led to this.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
GERAD GODFREY, Violent Crime  Compensation Board, Anchorage, said                                                               
Representative  Ramras  did  a  good job  and  the  committee  is                                                               
familiar with the VCCB.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR MCGUIRE  said there is  an omnibus crime package,  and last                                                               
night language  was added  so that  the permanent  fund dividends                                                               
collected from sex offenders will go into this fund.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
MR. GODFREY said that is encouraging.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
9:32:14 AM                                                                                                                    
SUSAN BROWNE,  Violent Crime Compensation  Board, said  next week                                                               
is Alaska's  crime victim's rights  week with the  theme: without                                                               
justice for  victims there can  be no  justice for all.  The bill                                                               
affirms decades  of efforts  in Alaska to  ensure the  rights and                                                               
services for crime victims. It is a  small step, but it is in the                                                               
right direction.  Having worked with thousands  of crime victims,                                                               
she believes they thank would the committee for their work.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  STEVENS  moved to  report  HB  414 from  committee  with                                                               
individual  recommendations and  attached  fiscal note(s).  There                                                               
being no objection, the bill moved out of committee.