Legislature(1993 - 1994)
04/15/1994 03:35 PM Senate HES
| Audio | Topic |
|---|
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
SENATE HEALTH, EDUCATION AND SOCIAL SERVICES COMMITTEE
April 15, 1994
3:35 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Steve Rieger, Chairman
Senator Loren Leman
Senator Mike Miller
Senator Judy Salo
MEMBERS ABSENT
Senator Bert Sharp, Vice-Chairman
Senator Jim Duncan
Senator Johnny Ellis
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
SENATE BILL NO. 323
"An Act requiring that all official interviews with children who
are alleged to have been abused or neglected be videotaped."
HB 472 (REFERRALS INVOLVING DENTAL SERVICES) WAS SCHEDULED, BUT NOT OT
HEARD THIS DATE.
HB 339 (NO CENSORSHIP: AMERICAN HISTORY DOCUMENTS) WAS SCHEDULED,
BUT NOT HEARD THIS DATE.
HJR 54 (SUPPORT MEDICAL SAVINGS ACCT LEGIS) WAS SCHEDULED, BUT NOT T
HEARD THIS DATE.
SJR 48 (FEDERAL IMPEDIMENTS TO WELFARE REFORM) WAS SCHEDULED, BUT
NOT HEARD THIS DATE.
SB 346 (REPORT CHARITABLE GAMING WINNERS) WAS SCHEDULED, BUT NOT
HEARD THIS DATE.
PREVIOUS SENATE COMMITTEE ACTION
SB 323 - No previous action to record.
SB 346 - See Labor & Commerce minutes dated 3/31/94.
SJR 48 - No previous action to record.
HB 472 - See Health, Education & Social Services minutes dated
4/15/94.
HB 339 - See Health, Education & Social Services minutes dated
4/15/94.
HJR 54 - See Health, Education & Social Services minutes dated
4/15/94.
WITNESS REGISTER
Tina Barker
3560-B College Road
Fairbanks, Alaska 99709
POSITION STATEMENT: Related letters regarding issues encompassed
in SB 323.
April Rodgers
212 Steelhead Road
Fairbanks, Alaska 99709
POSITION STATEMENT: Felt SB 323 would give credibility.
Naomi Hodson
P.A.C.T.
P.O. Box 3687
Soldotna, Alaska 99669
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SB 323 and offered suggestions.
Ronald Hodson
P.A.C.T.
P.O. Box 3687
Soldotna, Alaska 99669
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported videotaping of interviews.
Vickie Stilz
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SB 323.
Walter Gauthier
Victims of the State
P.O. Box 2246
Homer, Alaska 99603
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SB 323.
Gene Ottenstroer
Victims of the State
P.O. Box 1055
Delta Junction, Alaska 99737
POSITION STATEMENT: Felt SB 323 is a good bill and offered
suggestions.
Jeanne Phipps, Board of Directors Member
Guardians of Family Rights
P.O. Box 704
Delta Junction, Alaska 99737
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported videotaping of the interviews.
Offered suggestions to SB 323.
Pat Obrist-Druck
557 Fairbanks Street
Fairbanks, Alaska 99709
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SB 323.
Rondi Aldridge
P.O. Box 56853
North Pole, Alaska 99705
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SB 323.
Jodi Delaney
Concerned Parents for Reform
P.O. Box 56873
North Pole, Alaska 99705
POSITION STATEMENT: Reviewed SB 323 and offered suggestions.
ACTION NARRATIVE
TAPE 94-31, SIDE A
Number 001
CHAIRMAN RIEGER called the Senate Health, Education and Social
Services (HESS) Committee to order at 3:35 p.m. He introduced
SB 323 (VIDEOTAPE ALL INTERVIEWS OF ABUSED MINORS) as the first
order of business.
TINA BARKER began to read two letters which she agreed to fax to
the committee. She related her personal experience with this
issue.
APRIL ROGERS indicated that SB 323 would supply credibility for the
state and the parents. She said, "These laws are being used
against parents." She pointed out that reports of abuse can be
anonymous and nothing is done to the reporter in the case of a
false allegation. She expressed astonishment that the service
would intentionally lead a child. The children should be protected
against such abuses, but the accused should not be overlooked. She
noted that some cases are false and a review of the case could
uncover leading by the investigator. SB 323 would stop that and
the lack of credibility.
Number 123
NAOMI HODSON, P.A.C.T., supported SB 323, but thought that it could
use some amendments. She related her own experience with her
daughter. She said that parents no longer have rights. She
expressed the need for accountability from DFYS or anyone having
contact with children. She inquired as to who would determine the
need for an interview or the truthfulness of the child. She
recommended that no leading questions or hearsay be used, the court
does not allow such. SB 323 would help all concerned parties. She
felt that the videotape should be available to all of the involved
parties. She believed that SB 323 was more appropriate than HB 333
because SB 323 would be less traumatizing with only one interview
of the child rather than several.
RONALD HODSON, P.A.C.T., felt that videotaping the interviews is a
good idea. This videotaping would allow DFYS and others to review
the interview and use the videotape to determine areas needing to
be restructured. He expressed the need to return parental rights
back to parents.
VICKIE STILZ supported SB 323. She explained that SB 323 would
bring about accountability of DFYS. Videotaping of interviews
would help to inhibit false allegations while also serving as a
check on DFYS. She felt that trust in the system could return with
mandatory videotaping of the interviews. She noted that anyone can
report alleged child abuse, AS 47.17.050. SB 323 would provide a
safeguard. She concluded with her own personal experience with
false allegations of child abuse. She urged the committee's
consideration of SB 323.
Number 208
WALTER GAUTHIER, Victims of the State, recommended that the
committee review Lieutenant Governor Coghill's Family Law Review
Task Force Report for 1991 which documents horror stories from
DFYS. He informed the committee that in the history of the state
of Alaska, no worker from DFYS has been arrested or prosecuted for
crimes against children. He felt that something was wrong for this
to happen; there is no accountability. He said that DFYS
repeatedly places children in opposition to their parents. He
asserted that these bureaucracies are having to generate business
in order to justify their funding. He informed the committee that
most DFYS and child abuse system workers enter into this field
because they suffered abuse as a child; therefore, their past is
carried into their professional life. He urged the committee to
pass SB 323.
GENE OTTENSTROER, Victims of the State, believed that SB 323 was a
good bill if the interviewing was done by a non-bias party. He
indicated the possibility of editing the videotapes which would
pose a problem. He felt that the decision to do an interview
should be left up to the parents not the department. He spoke to
SB 317 which creates another department; there are already too many
departments.
JEANNE PHIPPS, member of the Board of Directors of the Guardians of
Family Rights, said that she supported videotaping of interviews of
children; however, the parents should be allowed to be present
during the interview. Videotaping should be done by someone who is
not associated with DFYS, DPS, or any law enforcement agency or
agent. She noted that the burden now lies on the accused to prove
their innocence. She indicated that the above agents or agencies
harass children into complaints when the child is angry. Often
interviews use hearsay and rumors without a full investigation by
DFYS or any other department. She said that children do lie, and
felt that constant questioning and rewording of questions could
cause confusion, fear, and agitation. Videotaping would end the
harassment of children.
PAT OBRIST-DRUCK supported SB 323. She related her own experience
with being falsely accused of child sexual abuse. She urged the
legislature to give children the right to speak out.
Number 308
RONDI ALDRIDGE supported SB 323. She explained that she was the
mother of a child in need. For the past three years, she had been
dealing with DFYS which seems to be a system in greed. She related
her personal experience with her son and DFYS. She disagreed with
the policy making process of most all of the programs available for
children; they should have anger management programs.
JODI DELANEY, Concerned Parents for Reform, related her personal
experience with alleged abuse of her son. She expressed the need
to improve the agency; why would one not want a check and balance,
videotaping of the interview, on this system. She said that
everyone would review the same videotape which would eliminate
opinions of current interviewing procedures. She indicated that
the system is only interested in covering its tracks. She
suggested that this could be a self-funding program if the over 60
percent of false allegations were dissolved. She said that it
would be cheaper to purchase video cameras, especially when
individuals are volunteering to purchase them, than to falsely
accuse an individual. That creates much litigation.
CHAIRMAN RIEGER invited anyone on teleconference to submit written
testimony. He said that it was his intention to bring SB 323 back
before the committee next week as well as the other bills
calendared for today.
SENATOR LEMAN inquired as to the possibility of taking up and
moving SJR 48 if there was no objection. CHAIRMAN RIEGER preferred
to have a full quorum, especially since he had informed individuals
that the bills calendared for today would be held.
There being no further business before the committee, the meeting
was adjourned at 4:00 p.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|