03/17/2022 08:00 AM House COMMUNITY & REGIONAL AFFAIRS
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB298 | |
| HB256 | |
| Adjourn |
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | HB 256 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 298 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
HOUSE COMMUNITY AND REGIONAL AFFAIRS STANDING COMMITTEE
March 17, 2022
8:05 a.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Sara Hannan, Co-Chair
Representative Calvin Schrage, Co-Chair
Representative Harriet Drummond
Representative Mike Prax
Representative Ken McCarty
Representative Kevin McCabe
MEMBERS ABSENT
Representative Josiah Patkotak, Vice Chair
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
HOUSE BILL NO. 298
"An Act establishing the Alaska Food Strategy Task Force; and
providing for an effective date."
- HEARD & HELD
HOUSE BILL NO. 256
"An Act relating to the Alaska Police Standards Council;
relating to municipal correctional officers and municipal
correctional employees; making municipal police officers subject
to police standards; requiring the Department of Public Safety
to submit a yearly use-of-force report to the legislature;
requiring a municipality that employs a person as a municipal
police officer or in a municipal correctional facility, the
Department of Corrections, or the Department of Public Safety to
report to the Federal Bureau of Investigation incidents of use
of force by state and municipal police, probation, parole, and
correctional officers and municipal correctional facility
employees; and providing for an effective date."
- MOVED CSHB 256(CRA) OUT OF COMMITTEE
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: HB 298
SHORT TITLE: ALASKA FOOD STRATEGY TASK FORCE
SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) SNYDER
02/04/22 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
02/04/22 (H) CRA
03/15/22 (H) CRA AT 8:00 AM BARNES 124
03/15/22 (H) Heard & Held
03/15/22 (H) MINUTE(CRA)
03/17/22 (H) CRA AT 8:00 AM BARNES 124
BILL: HB 256
SHORT TITLE: LAW ENFORCEMENT: REGISTRY; USE OF FORCE
SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) TARR
01/18/22 (H) PREFILE RELEASED 1/7/22
01/18/22 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
01/18/22 (H) CRA, STA, FIN
03/08/22 (H) CRA AT 8:00 AM BARNES 124
03/08/22 (H) Heard & Held
03/08/22 (H) MINUTE(CRA)
03/15/22 (H) CRA AT 8:00 AM BARNES 124
03/15/22 (H) Heard & Held
03/15/22 (H) MINUTE(CRA)
03/17/22 (H) CRA AT 8:00 AM BARNES 124
WITNESS REGISTER
REPRESENTATIVE LIZ SNYDER
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: As prime sponsor, made comments during the
hearing on HB 298.
ROBBI MIXON, Executive Director
Alaska Food Policy Council
Homer, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Offered invited testimony during the
hearing on HB 298.
AMY SEITZ, Executive Director
Alaska Farm Bureau;
Chair
Alaska Food Policy Council
Soldotna, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Gave invited testimony during the hearing
on HB 298.
TIKAAN GALBREATH, Technical Assistant Specialist
Intertribal Agricultural Council
No address provided
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified during the hearing on HB 298.
SHARON STEVENS GANSER
He Will Provide Food Pantry
Seward, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified during the hearing on HB 298.
RACHAEL MILLER, Member
Alaska Food Policy Council Board
No address provided
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified during the hearing on HB 298.
MELISSA MARTIN, President
Anchor Point Food Pantry
Anchor Point, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified during the hearing on HB 298.
RON MEEHAN, Policy and Advocacy Manager
Food Bank of Alaska;
Manager
Alaska Food Coalition
No address provided.
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of HB 298.
CLAIRE LUBKE, Program Director
St. Francis House Food Pantry
Catholic Social Services
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of HB 298.
REPRESENTATIVE GERAN TARR
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: As prime sponsor, spoke to HB 256 and
answered questions.
LISA PURINTON, Chief
Criminal Records and Identification Bureau, Division of
Statewide Services
Department of Public Safety
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Responded to questions during the hearing
on HB 256.
ACTION NARRATIVE
8:05:58 AM
CO-CHAIR SARA HANNAN called the House Community and Regional
Affairs Standing Committee meeting to order at [8:05] a.m.
Representatives McCarty, Drummond, Prax, McCabe, Schrage, and
Hannan were present at the call to order.
HB 298-ALASKA FOOD STRATEGY TASK FORCE
8:06:37 AM
CO-CHAIR HANNAN announced that the first order of business would
be HOUSE BILL NO. 298, "An Act establishing the Alaska Food
Strategy Task Force; and providing for an effective date."
8:07:10 AM
REPRESENTATIVE LIZ SNYDER, Alaska State Legislature, as prime
sponsor of HB 298, noted that she had received 22 letters of
support for the proposed legislation, and the letters are
available in the committee packet.
8:07:43 AM
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE said he would like to see more feedback
from farmers.
8:08:24 AM
CO-CHAIR HANNAN announced the committee would hear invited
testimony.
8:08:48 AM
ROBBI MIXON, Executive Director, Alaska Food Policy Council,
gave an overview of the goals of the Alaska Food Policy Council
(AFPC). She talked about partnership grants and the connection
of localized food systems, as well as a systems approach to food
security planning on the local, borough, and state levels, to
leverage assets. She remarked on turning broad policy
recommendations into tangible policies and regulations for
Alaska. She said AFPC could provide support for the task force
proposed under HB 298 and has the training to do so. She said
she considers HB 298 "a continuation of the work ahead of us,"
and said this would be a long-term collective effort. She said
there would be stakeholder input in order to achieve economic
independence and self-sufficiency. She remarked that there are
tremendous challenges ahead, but AFPC believes in the visions of
food security and is in full support of HB 298.
8:13:25 AM
AMY SEITZ, Executive Director, Alaska Farm Bureau; Chair, Alaska
Food Policy Council, stated that both the Alaska Farm Bureau and
the AFPC believe Alaska needs to build a resilient food system,
which has been reliant on outside sources and systems. The food
supply chain has been disrupted repeatedly. She emphasized the
need for collaboration in establishing a secure food system in
Alaska. She further emphasized the importance of a reliable
transportation system. She said the task force established
under HB 298 would bring together experts from various areas,
including involvement of the State of Alaska. In response to
Representative McCabe, she indicated she would make sure there
would be more input from farmers. In response to a question
from Representative Prax, she offered information regarding the
Fairbanks chapter of the Alaska Farm Bureau.
8:21:07 AM
TIKAAN GALBREATH, Technical Assistant Specialist, Intertribal
Agricultural Council, gave a history of the Intertribal
Agricultural Council, established in 1987, and its focus on
conservation development and agricultural resources "for the
betterment of our people." He said global events are
highlighting the need for local food sourcing. He said the
council invests its energy in an array of diverse programs. His
program is funded under the National Technical Network. He
described Alaska's position as unique, as in many cases the
state does not have existing infrastructure. He spoke of
reducing the global carbon footprint. He noted that Alaska
Native people hold the most land in the state, and he spoke
about subsistence and sharing of resources. He asked the
committee to consider whether they would want to live in Alaska
if all its food resources disappeared. He encouraged the
legislature to support those resources, and he said HB 298 is a
meaningful step in doing so.
8:27:51 AM
MR. GALBREATH, in response to comment by Representative McCabe
regarding old ways of food storage, agreed regarding the
importance of looking to traditional methods in finding
solutions to the global challenges being faced.
8:29:55 AM
CO-CHAIR HANNAN opened public testimony on HB 298.
8:30:18 AM
SHARON STEVENS GANSER, He Will Provide Food Pantry, spoke about
the work of the food pantry and food insecurity in Seward and
statewide. She asked the committee to consider "developing" HB
298 the task force. In response to Co-Chair Hannan, she said
there were 336 people who used the food pantry last year, "so
throughout the year that counted as 2,800 households." She
explained that meant the 336 people came back to the food pantry
several times. In response to Representative Drummond, she
clarified that point.
8:33:11 AM
RACHAEL MILLER, Member, Alaska Food Policy Council Board, said
she is also a professor at Alaska Pacific University. She
posited that investing in food security is not only about
scarcity but also about opportunity and leadership in the north.
She talked about presenting to the Alaska Food and Farm Caucus
back to back with Governor Mike Dunleavy's issuance of
Administrative Order 331. She called food a bi-partisan topic.
She talked about reports that exist and the issue of how federal
dollars are leveraged for Alaska. She offered her belief that
HB 298 is an inclusive and timely bill, which she supports as a
means to capitalize current momentum and interest in food
security.
8:38:30 AM
MELISSA MARTIN, President, Anchor Point Food Pantry, spoke about
food waste and fish being thrown back that could be used by a
food bank, and she opined there is a need for a task force such
as the one proposed under HB 298.
8:40:03 AM
RON MEEHAN, Policy and Advocacy Manager, Food Bank of Alaska;
Manager, Alaska Food Coalition, testified in support of HB 298
as a bill that would allow the state to develop its
comprehensive food policy strategy to strengthen its food
system, reduce food insecurity, and grow its local food
economies. He spoke about Alaska's unique food security issues
arising from its remote geographical location. He said food
banks in the state have experienced an unprecedented level of
food insecurity since the beginning of the pandemic. He said
finding solutions to overcome barriers [to food security] will
require collaboration among stakeholders from Alaska's food
systems statewide. He talked about growing the agricultural
industry, increasing efficiencies in state-run programs, and
ensuring food security throughout the state. He stated support
for HB 298.
8:43:00 AM
CLAIRE LUBKE, Program Director, St. Francis House Food Pantry,
Catholic Social Services, testified in support of HB 298. She
spoke about the negative effect of food security on people's
lives and the need for improved food systems. She talked about
the numbers served by the food pantry. She mentioned
agricultural programing and the largest urban farm in the
Municipality of Anchorage, farmer's markets, opportunities for
people to become "food entrepreneurs, and the positive impact of
these. She said Catholic Social Services has a vested interest
in food production and access. She praised the robust committee
representation and comprehensive food security categories
outlined under HB 298. In response to Representative Drummond,
she offered further information regarding the largest farm in
the municipality.
8:47:37 AM
MS. LUBKE, in response to a question from Representative Prax
about paying someone to grow food, talked about federal funding
for programming and refugee agriculture grants. She offered to
obtain further information to share.
8:49:37 AM
MS. LUBKE, in response to Representative McCarty, said she could
provide information about the sustainability of the program.
8:51:24 AM
CO-CHAIR HANNAN, after ascertaining that there was no one else
who wished to testify, closed public testimony on HB 298.
8:51:47 AM
REPRESENTATIVE SNYDER made closing remarks. She emphasized the
savings in producing food in Alaska is but one positive aspect;
another is in relation to the jobs that would be created.
8:53:27 AM
CO-CHAIR HANNAN announced that HB 298 was held over.
HB 256-LAW ENFORCEMENT: REGISTRY; USE OF FORCE
8:54:59 AM
CO-CHAIR HANNAN announced that the final order of business would
be HOUSE BILL NO. 256, "An Act relating to the Alaska Police
Standards Council; relating to municipal correctional officers
and municipal correctional employees; making municipal police
officers subject to police standards; requiring the Department
of Public Safety to submit a yearly use-of-force report to the
legislature; requiring a municipality that employs a person as a
municipal police officer or in a municipal correctional
facility, the Department of Corrections, or the Department of
Public Safety to report to the Federal Bureau of Investigation
incidents of use of force by state and municipal police,
probation, parole, and correctional officers and municipal
correctional facility employees; and providing for an effective
date." [Before the committee, adopted as a working document on
3/15/22, was the proposed committee substitute (CS) for HB 256,
Version 32-LS1341\B, Ambrose/Radford, 3/11/22 ("Version B").]
8:55:55 AM
REPRESENTATIVE GERAN TARR, Alaska State Legislature, as prime
sponsor of HB 256, noted that there was a handout added to the
committee packet that lists the data collected by the Federal
Bureau of Investigation (FBI) [pertaining to use of deadly
force]. A second document lists the 21 agencies currently
participating in reporting to the FBI. A third handout provides
a definition referred to by Kelly Howell during the hearing on
HB 256 on 3/15/22.
8:57:20 AM
REPRESENTATIVE TARR, in response to Representative Prax saying
he has heard complaints that the provisions of HB 256 would
overburden the [law enforcement] system, pointed out that the
list of agencies that has been provided to the committee is a
list of agencies participating voluntarily with reporting, and
it's about 80 percent of law enforcement professionals in the
state. She said that indicates to her that it is a system that
is easy to implement. She mentioned the uniformed crime report,
which other law enforcement entities not on the list are using;
therefore, switching from one to the other would not be
overburdensome. She said the FBI provides training modules on
how to implement this system, and "the department" is available
to support in a technical capacity. In response to a follow-up
question as to whether this is a new means of collecting data or
whether it will require new data, she said Section 1 of HB 256
directs the Alaska Police Standards Council (APSC) to develop
the regulations for this reporting.
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX suggested boots on the ground as a way to
find out what goes on.
9:04:09 AM
LISA PURINTON, Chief, Criminal Records and Identification
Bureau, Division of Statewide Services, Department of Public
Safety, in response to Representative Prax's question, explained
that the sworn offices would not likely be doing the paperwork;
it would be done by clerical staff, who are already reviewing
incidence reports.
9:05:15 AM
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE said he sees the data as a defense of
police departments. He indicated that he is satisfied with HB
256, [Version B].
9:06:43 AM
REPRESENTATIVE MCCARTY talked about incremental small demands on
time that increase to be unmanageable. He expressed concern
about the safety of officers. He questioned whether this bill
would serve to create a situation where officers become wary and
don't want to serve.
9:10:34 AM
REPRESENTATIVE TARR, to Representative McCarty's first point,
reiterated the 80 percent voluntary participant rate. Regarding
officers' behavior, she said HB 256 would not direct them to do
anything differently, and she thinks they would continue making
the right decision. She explained that the purpose of the
reporting is to discern the incidences and why things are
happening, thus preventing casualties "on both sides." She said
the data is used to show trends. She spoke about de-escalation
to avoid a deadly result.
9:14:26 AM
MS. PURINTON added that currently in state law, the data is
reported. She said the majority of the reporting will show that
there is nothing to report, which requires little time. In
response to a follow-up question, she said currently the report
must be made in the FBI's database; the Department of Public
Safety is exploring the option to streamline the process. She
also noted that the FBI reporting requirement just went live in
2019; 60 percent of law enforcement agencies in the country are
part of the reporting at present. She talked about a goal to
provide good statistics out of the data.
9:20:55 AM
CO-CHAIR HANNAN clarified that this is collection of data; it is
not deciding when use of force is justified or not. She
described how it could be helpful to have the data, and she
remarked that 60 percent reporting that data across the country
is not a lot.
9:24:07 AM
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE remarked how the data could be used to
determine, for example, whether a certain drug is creating the
need for the use of deadly force.
9:25:30 AM
REPRESENTATIVE TARR made closing comments. She expressed
appreciation for law enforcement professionals in Alaska's
communities.
9:26:32 AM
CO-CHAIR SCHRAGE moved to report CSHB 256, Version 32-LS1341\B,
Ambrose/Radford, 3/11/22, out of committee with individual
recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes. There being
no objection CSHB 256(CRA) was reported out of the House
Community and Regional Affairs Standing Committee.
9:27:21 AM
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committee, the House
Community and Regional Affairs Standing Committee meeting was
adjourned at 9:27 a.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| HB 256 Sectional Analysis.pdf |
HCRA 3/17/2022 8:00:00 AM |
HB 256 |
| HB 256 Supporting Documents.pdf |
HCRA 3/17/2022 8:00:00 AM |
HB 256 |
| HB 256 Sponsor Statement.pdf |
HCRA 3/17/2022 8:00:00 AM |
HB 256 |
| HB 256 Letters of Support.pdf |
HCRA 3/17/2022 8:00:00 AM |
HB 256 |
| HB 256 Supporting Documents 3.4.2022.pdf |
HCRA 3/8/2022 8:00:00 AM HCRA 3/17/2022 8:00:00 AM |
HB 256 |
| HB 256 Sponsor Statement 3.4.2022.pdf |
HCRA 3/8/2022 8:00:00 AM HCRA 3/17/2022 8:00:00 AM |
HB 256 |
| HB0256 Ver A 3.4.2022.PDF |
HCRA 3/8/2022 8:00:00 AM HCRA 3/17/2022 8:00:00 AM |
HB 256 |
| HB 256 Letters of Support 3.4.2022.pdf |
HCRA 3/8/2022 8:00:00 AM HCRA 3/17/2022 8:00:00 AM |
HB 256 |
| HB 256 Sectional Analysis 3.4.2022.pdf |
HCRA 3/8/2022 8:00:00 AM HCRA 3/17/2022 8:00:00 AM |
HB 256 |
| HB 256 DPS Fiscal Note 1 3.4.22.pdf |
HCRA 3/8/2022 8:00:00 AM HCRA 3/17/2022 8:00:00 AM |
HB 256 |
| HB 256 DPS Fiscal Note 2 3.4.22.pdf |
HCRA 3/8/2022 8:00:00 AM HCRA 3/17/2022 8:00:00 AM |
HB 256 |
| HB 256 LEOKA Definitions.pdf |
HCRA 3/8/2022 8:00:00 AM HCRA 3/17/2022 8:00:00 AM |
HB 256 |
| HB 256 Sponsor Statement.pdf |
HCRA 3/15/2022 8:00:00 AM HCRA 3/17/2022 8:00:00 AM |
HB 256 |
| CSHB 256 Version B 3.11.22.pdf |
HCRA 3/15/2022 8:00:00 AM HCRA 3/17/2022 8:00:00 AM |
HB 256 |
| HB 256 Version B Summary of Changes 3.11.22.pdf |
HCRA 3/15/2022 8:00:00 AM HCRA 3/17/2022 8:00:00 AM |
HB 256 |
| HB 298 Sponsor Statement 2.7.2022.pdf |
HCRA 3/15/2022 8:00:00 AM HCRA 3/17/2022 8:00:00 AM |
HB 298 |
| HB 298 Sectional Analysis Version A 2.7.022.pdf |
HCRA 3/15/2022 8:00:00 AM HCRA 3/17/2022 8:00:00 AM |
HB 298 |
| HB298 Fiscal Note LEG-COU-03-14-22.pdf |
HCRA 3/15/2022 8:00:00 AM HCRA 3/17/2022 8:00:00 AM |
HB 298 |
| HB 298 Testimony Recieved as of 3.17.22.pdf |
HCRA 3/17/2022 8:00:00 AM |
HB 298 |