Legislature(2015 - 2016)HOUSE FINANCE 519

04/21/2016 05:00 PM House FINANCE


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05:04:51 PM Start
05:05:35 PM SB91
05:05:47 PM Public Testimony: Cssssb 91 (fin) Am
06:42:37 PM Adjourn
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
-- Recessed to a Call of the Chair --
+= SB 91 OMNIBUS CRIM LAW & PROCEDURE; CORRECTIONS TELECONFERENCED
Heard & Held
-- Public Testimony Limited to 2 min each --
- Call in or arrive at your LIO by 6:30 p.m. or
testimony will close early
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- Written testimony may be submitted to the
House Finance Committee via email to
lhscfin@akleg.gov
+ Bills Previously Heard/Scheduled TELECONFERENCED
                  HOUSE FINANCE COMMITTEE                                                                                       
                      April 21, 2016                                                                                            
                         5:04 p.m.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
5:04:51 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CALL TO ORDER                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Thompson   called  the  House   Finance  Committee                                                                    
meeting to order at 5:04 p.m.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS PRESENT                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Representative Mark Neuman, Co-Chair                                                                                            
Representative Steve Thompson, Co-Chair                                                                                         
Representative Dan Saddler, Vice-Chair                                                                                          
Representative Bryce Edgmon                                                                                                     
Representative Les Gara                                                                                                         
Representative Lynn Gattis                                                                                                      
Representative David Guttenberg                                                                                                 
Representative Scott Kawasaki                                                                                                   
Representative Cathy Munoz                                                                                                      
Representative Lance Pruitt                                                                                                     
Representative Tammie Wilson                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS ABSENT                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
None                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
ALSO PRESENT                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Jake  Metcalfe,   PSEA  Local  803,  Juneau;   Maude  Blair,                                                                    
     Alaskan Federation of Natives, Juneau; Carrie Amotl,                                                                       
Self,  Juneau; Karen  Nelson,  Self, Juneau;  Representative                                                                    
Liz Vasquez; Senator John Coghill.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
PRESENT VIA TELECONFERENCE                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Steve  Alexander,  self,  Wasilla;  Michael  Jeffery,  Self,                                                                    
Barrow; Athena Singsaas, Self,  Anchorage; Nikki Toll, Self,                                                                    
Wasilla;  James Klugman,  Self,  Anchorage; Dennis  Johnson,                                                                    
Director,  Alaska   Pretrial  Services,   Anchorage;  Brandy                                                                    
Johnson   Self Fairbanks;   Robin   Langlie,   Victims   for                                                                    
Justice, Anchorage; Angela Hall,  Supporting Our Loved Ones,                                                                    
Glendale,  Arizona;  Reece  Burke,  Self,Fairbanks;  Michael                                                                    
Ebell,    Self,    Anchorage;     Hayly    Johnson,    Self,                                                                    
Pocatello,Idaho; Pauline  Hailstone, Self,  Fairbanks; Jayce                                                                    
Robertson,   Self,   Kenai;   Sarra  Khlifi,   Alaska   Food                                                                    
Coalition,  Anchorage; Kim  Whitaker, REAL  about addiction,                                                                    
Anchorage;  Christopher Quick,  Self, Incarcerated  at Lemon                                                                    
Creek  Correctional  Facility,  Juneau;  Karen  Kirkpatrick,                                                                    
Self, Willow;  Clinton Cerda, Self, Palmer;  Adam Alexander,                                                                    
Self,  Anchorage;  Garnet  Morey,  Self,  Nikolaevsk;  Kathy                                                                    
Hansen, Attorney,  Office of Victims Rights;  Vicki Wallner,                                                                    
Stop  Valley  Thieves,  Palmer; Frank  Singh,  self,  Kenai;                                                                    
Nathan Lockwood, Self, Kenai;  Terra Barns, Community United                                                                    
for Safety  and Protection,  Anchorage; Mike  Shaffer, Self,                                                                    
Anchorage; Butch  Moore, Self, Big Lake;  Jon Zasada, Alaska                                                                    
Primary Care  Association, Anchorage; Leigh  Copeland, Self,                                                                    
Anchorage;  Jeanne   Gerhardt-Cyrus,  Self,   Kiana;  Darrel                                                                    
Gardner,  Self,  Anchorage;  Gary Manson,  Self,  Anchorage;                                                                    
Laura  Gorman, Self,  Bristol Bay;  Kelvin  Lee, No  Limits,                                                                    
Inc., Fairbanks; Questa Locke Self Anchorage;           Jean                                                                    
Sullivan,  Self,  Phoenix,   Arizona;  Paul  Kendall,  self,                                                                    
Anchorage; Samantha Mulvaney self, Bethel.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
SUMMARY                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
CSSSSB 91 (FIN) am                                                                                                              
     OMNIBUS CRIM LAW & PROCEDURE; CORRECTIONS                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
          CSSSSB 91 (FIN) am was HEARD and HELD in                                                                              
          committee for further consideration.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
PUBLIC TESTIMONY: CSSSSB 91 (FIN) am                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Thompson  reviewed the  agenda for the  meeting and                                                                    
indicated  public testimony  would  be heard  on  SB 91.  He                                                                    
reminded testifiers to limit their comments to 2 minutes.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
5:05:35 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CS FOR SPONSOR SUBSTITUTE FOR SENATE BILL NO. 91(FIN) am                                                                        
"An Act relating to criminal  law and procedure; relating to                                                                    
controlled   substances;    relating   to    immunity   from                                                                    
prosecution  for  the  crime of  prostitution;  relating  to                                                                    
probation; relating  to sentencing; establishing  a pretrial                                                                    
services  program with  pretrial  services  officers in  the                                                                    
Department of  Corrections; relating  to the  publication of                                                                    
suspended  entries  of  judgment  on  a  publicly  available                                                                    
Internet  website;  relating  to permanent  fund  dividends;                                                                    
relating  to electronic  monitoring;  relating to  penalties                                                                    
for violations of municipal  ordinances; relating to parole;                                                                    
relating  to correctional  restitution centers;  relating to                                                                    
community    work   service;    relating   to    revocation,                                                                    
termination, suspension,  cancellation, or restoration  of a                                                                    
driver's license;  relating to the excise  tax on marijuana;                                                                    
establishing the recidivism reduction  fund; relating to the                                                                    
Alaska   Criminal  Justice   Commission;  relating   to  the                                                                    
disqualification  of  persons  convicted of  specified  drug                                                                    
offenses from participation in the  food stamp and temporary                                                                    
assistance  programs;   relating  to   the  duties   of  the                                                                    
commissioner of  corrections; amending  Rules 32,  32.1, 38,                                                                    
41,  and  43,  Alaska   Rules  of  Criminal  Procedure,  and                                                                    
repealing  Rules 41(d)  and (e),  Alaska  Rules of  Criminal                                                                    
Procedure; and providing for an effective date."                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
^PUBLIC TESTIMONY: CSSSSB 91 (FIN) am                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
5:05:47 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
STEVE   ALEXANDER,  SELF,   WASILLA  (via   teleconference),                                                                    
supported  the  legislation.  He  shared  that  he  was  the                                                                    
Institutional   Chaplain   at  Matanuska-Susitna   Pre-trial                                                                    
Facility in Wasilla, a pastor  for 25 years, and worked with                                                                    
inmates and  substance abusers. He expressed  concern with a                                                                    
"certain narrow  subset of folks  with felony  DUIs (Driving                                                                    
Under  the  Influence)  who completed  yearlong  residential                                                                    
treatment  but  was still  prohibited  from  driving for  10                                                                    
years. He relayed from personal  work experience that he had                                                                    
seen   many  people   successfully  rehabilitate   from  the                                                                    
residential  treatment.  He  believed the  restriction  from                                                                    
driving  was too  lengthy and  interfered  with the  felon's                                                                    
successful reintegration  into society. He worried  that the                                                                    
restriction increased  the chances of recidivism  by forcing                                                                    
the   individuals  into   the   "underground"  economy.   He                                                                    
emphasized that  the driving  prohibition was  excessive and                                                                    
advocated for  an amendment  to shorten  its length.  He was                                                                    
aware  of  the serious  consequences  of  DUIs but  strongly                                                                    
believed  that rehabilitated  individuals deserved  a chance                                                                    
to become functioning members of society.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Thompson asked  testifiers  to adhere  to the  two                                                                    
minute limit.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
5:08:34 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MICHAEL   JEFFERY,   SELF,  BARROW   (via   teleconference),                                                                    
supported  SB 91  and related  that he  had been  a Superior                                                                    
Court  Judge for  over  32  years and  was  involved in  two                                                                    
statewide committees  on fetal  alcohol syndrome.  He stated                                                                    
that  the  bill  brought  evidence based  practices  to  the                                                                    
criminal  justice system  and  adopted recommendations  from                                                                    
the Criminal Justice  Commission, which engaged in  a 3 year                                                                    
deliberative   process.  He   focused   on  the   recidivism                                                                    
reduction  fund  that  supported all  aspects  of  returning                                                                    
citizens   to  society.   He  noted   that  many   returning                                                                    
individuals  were  Alaska   Mental  Health  Trust  Authority                                                                    
(AMHTA)  beneficiaries  and  had challenges  such  as  fetal                                                                    
alcohol syndrome. He strongly urged  for support of the fund                                                                    
and the bill.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
ATHENA  SINGSAAS,  SELF,   ANCHORAGE  (via  teleconference),                                                                    
strongly supported  SB 91. She  opined that  offenders could                                                                    
not  be released  on  the street  without  the services  and                                                                    
support the bill provided. She  believed the community would                                                                    
help support  the services and  efforts provided for  in the                                                                    
legislation.  She alerted  the committee  that she  had been                                                                    
harassed on  the transit bus  multiple times. She  asked for                                                                    
serious consideration of the bill.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
5:12:05 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
NIKKI  TOLL, SELF,  WASILLA (via  teleconference), spoke  in                                                                    
favor  of SB  91 and  particularly for  amendment 15,  which                                                                    
provided for  insurance for deceased police  and firefighter                                                                    
dependents. She  was the spouse  of an Alaska  State Trooper                                                                    
killed in the line of duty  and felt her husband was a hero.                                                                    
She  spoke to  her negative  experience with  insurance upon                                                                    
the death of her husband. She  only had one day of insurance                                                                    
upon his death  and even with a death  certificate she still                                                                    
had to pay the full  price for his state insurance coverage.                                                                    
She  thanked the  committee  and urged  for  support of  the                                                                    
legislation.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
JAMES KLUGMAN,  SELF, ANCHORAGE (via  teleconference), spoke                                                                    
against the  bill and shared  his serious concerns  over the                                                                    
public's safety. He  referred to Section 47 of  the bill. He                                                                    
listed many  of the  Class C  felony offences  and cautioned                                                                    
that a convicted Class C felon  with no prior record was not                                                                    
arrested and did  not spend one day in jail  under the bill.                                                                    
He opined  that the bill  was a "dangerous,  radical" system                                                                    
without  accountability  and  did  not offer  the  level  of                                                                    
protection  the   citizens  of  the  state   "deserved."  He                                                                    
believed    the   bill    had   "serious"    public   safety                                                                    
repercussions.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
5:16:42 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
DENNIS   JOHNSON,   DIRECTOR,  ALASKA   PRETRIAL   SERVICES,                                                                    
ANCHORAGE (via  teleconference), spoke in support  of SB 91.                                                                    
He revealed that  he was the state director  for Alaska Pre-                                                                    
Trial   Services,   one   of  several   private   electronic                                                                    
monitoring programs and managed  three testing sites for the                                                                    
Alaska  24/7 pilot  program administering  drug and  alcohol                                                                    
testing.  He  opined that  certain  problems  with the  bill                                                                    
remained. He  noted the  removal of the  120 day  credit for                                                                    
pre-trial electronic monitoring from  the bill. He expressed                                                                    
concerns  that  if the  provision  was  reinserted that  the                                                                    
incarceration time  would be  extended. He  experienced many                                                                    
individuals  on   monitoring  that   successfully  completed                                                                    
treatment,  remained  in  compliance   and  found  work.  He                                                                    
worried  that if  the  offender's sentence  was  a year  and                                                                    
monitoring was  only for  120 days  the individual  would be                                                                    
institutionalized and  lose his job and  possibly jeopardize                                                                    
recovery efforts.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
BRANDY JOHNSON SELF FAIRBANKS  (via  teleconference),  spoke                                                                    
in favor of SB 21.  She specifically mentioned amendment 15.                                                                    
She talked  about her husband  named Scott, who was  shot in                                                                    
the  line of  duty. She  spoke about  being without  medical                                                                    
coverage after his  death. She opined that  the state should                                                                    
provide coverage  for her husband's  family since  he upheld                                                                    
his  duty  to  protect  the   citizens  of  the  state.  She                                                                    
mentioned that the prisoner who  shot her husband had health                                                                    
care while  her family  did not.  She thanked  the committee                                                                    
and urged support of the legislation.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
5:21:35 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
ROBIN   LANGLIE,  VICTIMS   FOR   JUSTICE,  ANCHORAGE   (via                                                                    
teleconference),  opposed SB  91. The  main concern  was the                                                                    
reinvestment portion  of the bill.  She stated that  she had                                                                    
been  told the  reinvestment  money would  not be  available                                                                    
until  next  year  and  felt  that  the  reinvestment  piece                                                                    
enacted  was very  important for  ensuring public's  safety.                                                                    
She  expressed her  disappointment  in  the House  Judiciary                                                                    
Committee for  including amendment 15. She  opined that many                                                                    
people  feel  they must  support  the  bill because  of  the                                                                    
amendment 15. She asked for  postponement of the legislation                                                                    
until  the  programs were  in  place  and funded  to  ensure                                                                    
public safety. She thanked the committee.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
ANGELA HALL,  SUPPORTING OUR  LOVED ONES,  GLENDALE, ARIZONA                                                                    
(via  teleconference),  spoke  in  favor of  the  bill.  She                                                                    
reported that her husband had  served 22 years in prison out                                                                    
of a  159 year sentence. He  was incarcerated at the  age of                                                                    
17 and was not eligible  for parole as an unclassified felon                                                                    
until he  was 69  years of age.  Under the  bill's geriatric                                                                    
provision he could be released  at 55 after having served 38                                                                    
years of his  sentence. She mentioned the  "value" of taking                                                                    
another  look at  inmates who  committed  violent crimes  as                                                                    
youths.  She encouraged  members to  examine "de  facto life                                                                    
sentencing" for  youths with "fresh  eyes." She  thanked the                                                                    
committee for allowing her to speak.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
5:26:28 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REECE BURKE,  SELF, FAIRBANKS  (via teleconference),  was in                                                                    
favor of  SB 91. He offered  that he received three  DUIs in                                                                    
10 years and was prohibited  from driving since 2013. He was                                                                    
unable  to obtain  full-time employment  due to  the driving                                                                    
prohibition.  He relayed  that he  successfully completed  a                                                                    
court  appointed   18  month  program  with   the  Fairbanks                                                                    
Wellness Court  and Pacific Rim  Counseling. He  stated that                                                                    
the bill would allow him to drive and obtain work.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
MICHAEL  EBELL, SELF,  ANCHORAGE  (via teleconference),  was                                                                    
opposed  to SB  91. He  agreed that  a problem  existed with                                                                    
over  incarceration, but  opined that  the bill  incorrectly                                                                    
addressed the  problem. He  felt that  the bill  removed the                                                                    
incentive   of  "serious   jail  repercussions"   to  induce                                                                    
engagement in rehabilitation  programs and actually undercut                                                                    
current efforts.  He thought that  under the bill,  drug and                                                                    
property  crime  criminals  were  more  likely  to  reoffend                                                                    
without  proper treatment  and  monitoring  under threat  of                                                                    
prison.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
5:30:49 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
HAYLY JOHNSON, SELF,  POCATELLO, IDAHO (via teleconference),                                                                    
urged members to support SB 91.  She shared that she was the                                                                    
oldest daughter  of Scott Johnson,  an Alaskan  trooper shot                                                                    
in  the line  of duty  in  2014. She  discussed the  medical                                                                    
bills the  family incurred  because of  her hospitalizations                                                                    
and health  problems after losing state  health benefits one                                                                    
month after her  father's death. She spoke to  the hard work                                                                    
and  high risk  nature of  a  trooper job.  She thanked  the                                                                    
committee.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
PAULINE  HAILSTONE,  SELF, FAIRBANKS  (via  teleconference),                                                                    
spoke in  support of the  bill and  revealed she was  a past                                                                    
Class C  felony offender.  She opined that  criminal justice                                                                    
reform  was "radically  needed"  and  strongly endorsed  the                                                                    
effort. She  stated that  Alaska was  behind most  states in                                                                    
criminal justice reform. She spoke  of her inability to work                                                                    
as  a  social  worker  due to  her  previous  offenses.  She                                                                    
relayed that  the state had  created its own  "penal colony"                                                                    
by facilitating a system that  allowed society to stigmatize                                                                    
offenders.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
5:35:41 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
JAYCE ROBERTSON, SELF,  KENAI (via teleconference), strongly                                                                    
supported  SB 91.  He relayed  that  he was  a reformed  DUI                                                                    
offender who  was convicted  in 2011.  He currently  was not                                                                    
allowed to  drive. He described his  rehabilitation and life                                                                    
successes since  the conviction. He requested  a pardon from                                                                    
the governor  but discovered  even a  pardon would  not lift                                                                    
the  driving  prohibition due  to  state  statute. He  spoke                                                                    
unfavorably about the state spending  money on building more                                                                    
prisons and incarceration costs  and opined that the state's                                                                    
rehabilitation efforts  were a  "façade." He  mentioned that                                                                    
felony DUI  offenders were only prohibited  from driving for                                                                    
two years  in SB 91.  He wanted to be  able to drive  to and                                                                    
from work  and strongly  supported the  provisions regarding                                                                    
the  issue. He  praised the  sponsor  for his  hard work  on                                                                    
criminal justice reform.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
SARRA   KHLIFI,  ALASKA   FOOD  COALITION,   ANCHORAGE  (via                                                                    
teleconference), favored  the legislation. She  relayed that                                                                    
the  coalition worked  with 125  organizations to  serve the                                                                    
state's "vulnerable"  population in  urban and  rural areas.                                                                    
She highlighted  section 181, pages  110 through 111  of the                                                                    
bill. She noted that the  provision removed the lifetime ban                                                                    
on  eligibility for  food stamps  for formerly  incarcerated                                                                    
drug felons.  She indicated that the  chances for recidivism                                                                    
were  much higher  for hungry  and  homeless ex-felons.  She                                                                    
spoke in  favor of  SB 91  in order  to stop  the "revolving                                                                    
door" of incarceration.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
5:40:15 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
KIM   WHITAKER,  REAL   ABOUT   ADDICTION,  ANCHORAGE   (via                                                                    
teleconference),  supported  the legislation.  She  reported                                                                    
that  she  discussed  the  issue  with  Alaska  Senator  Dan                                                                    
Sullivan in  Washington D.C. She  relayed that  her daughter                                                                    
became  an addict  since her  teenage years  after taking  a                                                                    
physician's  prescription.  She  shared  that  her  daughter                                                                    
sought  treatment several  times but  was unable  to find  a                                                                    
program in the state. Her  daughter had been incarcerated in                                                                    
the  Highlands Women's  Prison three  times for  non-violent                                                                    
crimes  and  did not  receive  help  in prison  either.  She                                                                    
indicated  that she  currently worked  with  addicts in  the                                                                    
state and  strongly advocated  for criminal  justice reform.                                                                    
She  believed in  "punishment"  for  violent criminals.  She                                                                    
related  that the  cost  to incarcerate  an  addict was  $50                                                                    
thousand  per   year  versus  the  $35   thousand  cost  for                                                                    
rehabilitation.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
JAKE  METCALFE, Public  Safety  Employees Association  LOCAL                                                                    
803, JUNEAU,  spoke in favor of  SB 91. He thought  that the                                                                    
bill   reflected  good   public   policy.  The   association                                                                    
supported the  bill as amended to  include medical insurance                                                                    
for  the  spouses  and  children   of  police  officers.  He                                                                    
emphasized the  importance of government support  for police                                                                    
officers and to honor their service.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
5:46:13 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MAUDE BLAIR,  ALASKAN FEDERATION  OF NATIVES,  JUNEAU, spoke                                                                    
in favor of SB 91. She  reported that small villages did not                                                                    
provide law enforcement  and did not have  access to courts,                                                                    
legal aid, and an understanding  of the system. She believed                                                                    
that  the bill  would  reduce recidivism  rates and  thought                                                                    
that the reinvestment provisions  were an important piece of                                                                    
the   bill.   She   reported  that   Alaska   Natives   were                                                                    
disproportionately  incarcerated and  victims  of crime  and                                                                    
the legislation would  "help both sides of  the equation" by                                                                    
reducing crime rates. She thanked the committee.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
CARRIE AMOTL,  SELF, JUNEAU,  spoke in favor  of SB  91. She                                                                    
shared that  she was  convicted of  a felony  DUI and  was a                                                                    
college   graduate.  She   chose  to   participate  in   the                                                                    
Therapeutic Courts to receive help  for her problem. She was                                                                    
aware  of  the  necessity  of  treatment  programs  and  the                                                                    
Therapeutic Court to create  "non-reoffenders." She spoke in                                                                    
favor of access  to treatment and being able  to receive her                                                                    
driver's license  again. Statistics proved that  the current                                                                    
justice system "was not working."                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
5:49:34 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
KAREN   NELSON,  SELF,   JUNEAU,  spoke   of  her   personal                                                                    
experience with  her drug  addiction of  over 20  years. She                                                                    
relayed that  she had  over 5 years  of sobriety.  She spoke                                                                    
about being a previously convicted  felon. She felt that her                                                                    
children bore  the collateral consequences of  her addiction                                                                    
and incarceration. She mentioned  that community grass roots                                                                    
programs were  sprouting up.  She believed  communities were                                                                    
healing  with access  to more  programs.  She supported  the                                                                    
legislation.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHRISTOPHER  QUICK,   SELF,  INCARCERATED  AT   LEMON  CREEK                                                                    
CORRECTIONAL   FACILITY,    JUNEAU   (via   teleconference),                                                                    
supported the  legislation. He shared that  he was currently                                                                    
incarcerated  for his  third parole  violation. He  cited AS                                                                    
33.16.200 and felt that he  was unjustly re-incarcerated due                                                                    
to loopholes. He relayed that  he lost his home, family, and                                                                    
job  and his  only  option was  post-conviction release.  He                                                                    
believed his problem could be  resolved on an administrative                                                                    
level. He wanted  the probation and parole board  to be held                                                                    
accountable.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
5:53:11 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
KAREN  KIRKPATRICK,   SELF,  WILLOW   (via  teleconference),                                                                    
asserted  that  the  only  portion  of  the  bill  that  she                                                                    
supported was  the amendment providing health  insurance for                                                                    
families  of  fallen  officers. She  opposed  the  remaining                                                                    
portions  of the  bill and  opined that  steeper punishments                                                                    
should be  imposed on criminals.  She believed  that passage                                                                    
of the bill would lead to vigilantism.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
CLINTON CERDA,  SELF, PALMER (via teleconference),  spoke in                                                                    
favor of SB 91. He was a DUI  felon and had not been able to                                                                    
obtain  employment   due  to  revocation  of   his  driver's                                                                    
license. He  had moved to  California believing he  would be                                                                    
able  to obtain  a license  but found  out that  it was  not                                                                    
true.  He  urged  support  of   the  bill  and  thanked  the                                                                    
committee.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
5:56:33 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
ADAM  ALEXANDER,   SELF,  ANCHORAGE   (via  teleconference),                                                                    
supported certain sections of the  bill. He was a prosecutor                                                                    
and did not  agree with Section 123 of the  bill relating to                                                                    
geriatric  parole. He  believed that  many of  the geriatric                                                                    
sex  offenders would  be inclined  to reoffend.  He did  not                                                                    
feel parts of  the bill were well thought out.  He relayed a                                                                    
sexual abuse case from  personal work experience, concluding                                                                    
that  the perpetrator  would reoffend  if granted  geriatric                                                                    
release.  He  thought  communities  would be  at  risk  with                                                                    
passage of certain provisions in the bill.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
GARNET   MOREY,  SELF,   NIKOLAEVSK  (via   teleconference),                                                                    
opposed  the  bill. She  related  her  personal story  about                                                                    
being a victim of a  crime and the individuals involved were                                                                    
never brought  to justice. She  stated that there  were many                                                                    
victims  in  the  state  and spoke  against  the  bill.  She                                                                    
wondered if child  rapists would be released  from prison as                                                                    
a  result of  the bill.  She did  not believe  the bill  was                                                                    
ready  for passage.  She felt  that the  amendment regarding                                                                    
healthcare  for   families  of   fallen  police   should  be                                                                    
supported and not part of the bill.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
6:01:52 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
KATHY  HANSEN,  ATTORNEY,  OFFICE  OF  VICTIMS  RIGHTS  (via                                                                    
teleconference),  relayed  the  office's opposition  to  the                                                                    
bill. She added  that the office continued to  work with the                                                                    
sponsor's office and Representative  Pruitt's office to work                                                                    
on  issues  in  the  bill.  She spoke  to  issues  with  the                                                                    
legislation.  She  addressed  a  provision  that  removed  a                                                                    
judge's  discretion  to  impose  jail time  for  a  Class  C                                                                    
felony.  The office  recommended  a minimum  of  90 days  in                                                                    
jail. She provided an example  of a victim who had testified                                                                    
in front of  the House Judiciary Committee -  her client was                                                                    
a victim of a shooting by  her husband and how the change in                                                                    
sentencing  would negatively  affect  someone  in a  similar                                                                    
situation.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
VICKI   WALLNER,   STOP    VALLEY   THIEVES,   PALMER   (via                                                                    
teleconference),  related  that  there were  some  incorrect                                                                    
statistics regarding  prison population and stated  that the                                                                    
prison population  growth decreased from 2.6  percent to 1.6                                                                    
percent.   She  cited   Department   of  Corrections   (DOC)                                                                    
statistics from  2015 that reported  flat prison  growth and                                                                    
felt  that facts  were  mischaracterized.  She thought  that                                                                    
more  offenders would  be  on the  streets  sooner with  the                                                                    
proposed legislation.  She opposed  SB 91  and felt  that it                                                                    
was a risk to public safety.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
6:07:27 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
FRANK  SINGH, SELF,  KENAI  (via teleconference),  supported                                                                    
the  legislation  and  spoke   specifically  to  Section  55                                                                    
regarding  limiting judicial  discretion when  setting bail.                                                                    
He stated  that bail was  a constitutional right.  He shared                                                                    
that he worked as a  Public Defender. He was concerned about                                                                    
people  who could  not afford  bail that  had a  defense for                                                                    
their charges  or whose rights  were violated  during arrest                                                                    
and  conversely,   offenders  who  could  afford   bail  and                                                                    
received  "better   deals."  He   noted  that   the  justice                                                                    
commission research supported his work experience.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
NATHAN LOCKWOOD, SELF, KENAI  (via teleconference), spoke in                                                                    
favor  of SB  91. He  called  the DOC  system "bloated."  He                                                                    
favored  the  mandatory  minimums  for  drug  offenders.  He                                                                    
thought  that there  were certain  misconceptions about  the                                                                    
bill that drug  addicts that committed a  crime would escape                                                                    
prosecution,  which was  not true.  He suggested  that those                                                                    
who  solely had  substance  abuse  related crimes  regarding                                                                    
possession were  "clogging up"  the criminal  justice system                                                                    
and was unaffordable. He believed  that the problem could be                                                                    
addressed   through  treatment   and  would   "benefit"  the                                                                    
citizens of the state.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
6:11:07 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
TERRA  BARNS, COMMUNITY  UNITED FOR  SAFETY AND  PROTECTION,                                                                    
ANCHORAGE (via  teleconference), spoke in support  of SB 91.                                                                    
She listed  the provisions  she supported:  victims' rights,                                                                    
limiting private electronic  monitoring provider's influence                                                                    
on pre-trial  sentencing, community reinvestments,  and more                                                                    
appropriate sentences for non-violent crime.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MIKE  SHAFFER, SELF,  ANCHORAGE (via  teleconference), spoke                                                                    
against  SB 91.  He related  that  he was  a prosecutor  but                                                                    
testified  as  a  private  citizen.   He  thought  that  the                                                                    
legislation would make  the state one of  the most dangerous                                                                    
places in the  nation. He listed the many  crimes he thought                                                                    
would increase  with passage of  the bill. He  believed that                                                                    
he would  not be able  to "effectively" prosecute  cases. He                                                                    
supported rehabilitation when applicable.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
6:15:11 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
BUTCH MOORE,  SELF, BIG LAKE  (via teleconference),  was the                                                                    
father of  Brie Moore  who was killed  by her  boyfriend. He                                                                    
shared  that  his  daughter's  murderer  had  been  released                                                                    
sentenced  and  released  8 times  prior  to  meeting  Brie.                                                                    
During his last period of  probation, he was prohibited from                                                                    
alcohol  use   and  had   completed  a   treatment  program.                                                                    
Nevertheless, he purchased liquor  and killed Brie that same                                                                    
evening. Mr. Moore determined that  the murderer was able to                                                                    
purchase  alcohol  because  his  driver's  license  was  not                                                                    
revoked. He  wanted an amendment  to SB 91  that permanently                                                                    
revoked  the license  of those  on parole  or probation.  He                                                                    
also requested increased sentencing  minimum time for murder                                                                    
1 and murder 2 offences.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
JON ZASADA, ALASKA PRIMARY  CARE ASSOCIATION, ANCHORAGE (via                                                                    
teleconference), supported the  legislation and specifically                                                                    
spoke  in  favor  of  providing  funds  for  the  recidivism                                                                    
reduction  fund.   He  characterized  his   organization  as                                                                    
"Alaska's primary care  safety net" and served  as the first                                                                    
point of  contact for community  reentry. He  indicated that                                                                    
many   of  the   services  the   association  provided   was                                                                    
uncompensated. The  fund would provide  additional resources                                                                    
for  the services  and strengthen  the partnerships  between                                                                    
DOC and community based services.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
6:21:11 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
LEIGH  COPELAND,   SELF,  ANCHORAGE   (via  teleconference),                                                                    
favored SB  91. She spoke  of her experience as  a recipient                                                                    
of treatment  through a  therapeutic court  for a  long term                                                                    
alcohol problem. She  shared that she had  a graduate degree                                                                    
but  was unable  to secure  employment due  to her  driver's                                                                    
license  revocation.   She  supported  the   provision  that                                                                    
offered   limited  driver's   license  to   people  in   her                                                                    
situation.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
JEANNE  GERHARDT-CYRUS,  SELF, KIANA  (via  teleconference),                                                                    
supported SB  91. She related personal  experience about her                                                                    
son who spent  his youth in prison and  was released without                                                                    
support to  manage his probation.  She spoke of  the benefit                                                                    
of  funding for  violence prevention  such as  programs like                                                                    
Lead On. She encouraged the passage of SB 91.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
6:24:42 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
DARREL GARDNER, SELF,  ANCHORAGE (via teleconference), spoke                                                                    
in  favor  of  SB  91.  He provided  his  experience  as  an                                                                    
attorney in  Alaska since 1983 including  his current tenure                                                                    
as  the Vice-President  of the  Alaska  Bar Association.  He                                                                    
voiced  that the  bill's reforms  were  consensus based  and                                                                    
data driven  and reflected  an "enormous  amount of  work by                                                                    
the  committee." He  listed the  various agencies  that were                                                                    
represented via  members on the  committee. He felt  that SB
91 would serve the people of Alaska well.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
GARY MANSON, SELF, ANCHORAGE  (via teleconference), spoke in                                                                    
favor  of SB  91. He  thought the  current criminal  justice                                                                    
system  had  been similar  to  the  definition of  insanity;                                                                    
doing  the  same thing  over  and  over expecting  different                                                                    
results. He felt  that the problems were not  solved. He was                                                                    
glad to  see the issues  discussed and encouraged  people to                                                                    
seriously research and consider  the legislation without the                                                                    
emotional filter.  He was  very excited  for passage  of the                                                                    
bill.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
6:28:27 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
LAURA GORMAN, SELF, BRISTOL  BAY (via teleconference), spoke                                                                    
in support of SB 91  however; she favored a few adjustments.                                                                    
She  supported  providing  "wrap around"  services  for  ex-                                                                    
offenders  like  food  stamps. She  also  favored  treatment                                                                    
options  for offenders  and thought  there  were not  enough                                                                    
treatment options available in the state.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
KELVIN    LEE,    NO    LIMITS,   INC.,    FAIRBANKS    (via                                                                    
teleconference), owned  a company  that helped  inmates upon                                                                    
release from incarceration. He favored  SB 91. He thought it                                                                    
was important to provide  the opportunities for ex-offenders                                                                    
to succeed. He suggested that  SB 91 provided them with hope                                                                    
and  urged  support  of  the  legislation.  He  thanked  the                                                                    
committee.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
6:33:22 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
QUESTA LOCKE   SELF ANCHORAGE (via  teleconference), opposed                                                                    
SB 91.  She reported  being a  business owner  in Anchorage.                                                                    
One  of   the  primary  concerns  for   those  applying  for                                                                    
positions in Anchorage  was the crime rate.  She thought the                                                                    
legislation would make Alaska less safe.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
JEAN SULLIVAN, SELF,  PHOENIX, ARIZONA (via teleconference),                                                                    
spoke specifically to the  provision that limited electronic                                                                    
monitoring  to  120 days.  She  relayed  that she  lost  her                                                                    
fiancé in the line of duty  in Fairbanks. He was killed by a                                                                    
driver who  had taken  prescription drugs and  fallen asleep                                                                    
at  the  wheel. She  talked  about  the defendant  being  on                                                                    
electronic  monitoring for  over  5 months  during the  pre-                                                                    
trial period.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
6:38:33 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
PAUL  KENDALL,  SELF,  ANCHORAGE (via  teleconference),  was                                                                    
opposed  to  the  bill.  He  did  not  understand  what  the                                                                    
committee  was  doing with  SB  91  and the  provision  that                                                                    
provided  medical  insurance  for  the  families  of  fallen                                                                    
police officers. He was "completely  confounded." He did not                                                                    
understand  why  the  state  continued  to  feed  and  house                                                                    
criminals.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
SAMANTHA  MULVANEY, SELF,  BETHEL (via  teleconference), she                                                                    
supported  the  legislation,  especially  the  provision  to                                                                    
provide   family  healthcare   benefits  to   fallen  police                                                                    
officers. She believed that "it was the right thing to do."                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Thompson  CLOSED public  testimony. He  relayed the                                                                    
schedule for the following bill.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
CSSSSB  91 (FIN)  am was  HEARD  and HELD  in committee  for                                                                    
further consideration.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
ADJOURNMENT                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
6:42:37 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
The meeting was adjourned at 6:42 p.m.                                                                                          

Document Name Date/Time Subjects