Legislature(2013 - 2014)BUTROVICH 205
03/21/2013 09:00 AM Senate STATE AFFAIRS
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| Confirmation Hearings | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
SENATE STATE AFFAIRS STANDING COMMITTEE
March 21, 2013
9:01 a.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Fred Dyson, Chair
Senator Cathy Giessel, Vice Chair
Senator John Coghill
MEMBERS ABSENT
Senator Bert Stedman
Senator Bill Wielechowski
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
CONFIRMATION HEARINGS
Alaska State Commission for Human Rights
Christa Bruce-Kotrc
Grace Merkes
- CONFIRMATIONS ADVANCED
Alaska Board of Parole
Sarah Possenti
- CONFIRMATION ADVANCED
Alaska Violent Crimes Compensation Board
Gerad Godfrey
- CONFIRMATION ADVANCED
Alaska Police Standards Council
Mark Mew
- CONFIRMATION ADVANCED
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
No previous action to record
WITNESS REGISTER
GRACE MERKES, Appointee
Alaska State Commission for Human Rights
Sterling, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Presented information about herself as part
of the confirmation hearing.
Christa Bruce-Kotrc, Appointee
Alaska State Commission for Human Rights
Ketchikan, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Presented information about herself as part
of the confirmation hearing.
Sarah Possenti, Appointee
Alaska Board of Parole
Fairbanks, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Presented information about herself as part
of the confirmation hearing.
Gerad Godfrey, Appointee
Alaska Violent Crimes Compensation Board
Eagle River, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Presented information about himself as part
of the confirmation hearing.
MARK MEW, Chief of Police and Appointee
Alaska Police Standards Council
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Presented information about himself as part
of the confirmation hearing.
JEFF EDWARDS, Executive Director
Alaska Board of Parole
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of Sarah Possenti's
nomination to the Board of Parole.
ACTION NARRATIVE
9:01:52 AM
CHAIR FRED DYSON called the Senate State Affairs Standing
Committee meeting to order at 9:01 a.m. Present at the call to
order were Senators Coghill and Giessel and Chair Dyson.
^CONFIRMATION HEARINGS
CONFIRMATION HEARINGS
9:02:37 AM
CHAIR DYSON announced that the only order of business would be a
hearing on the Governor's appointees for the Alaska State
Commission for Human Rights, Board of Parole, Violent Crimes
Compensation Board, and Alaska Police Standards Council.
Alaska State Commission for Human Rights
9:03:09 AM
CHAIR DYSON announced the business before the committee was
confirmation hearings. He requested information from Ms. Merkes,
a nominee for the Alaska State Commission for Human Rights.
GRACE MERKES, nominee, Alaska State Commission for Human Rights,
said she hopes for reconfirmation to the State Commission for
Human Rights. She shared her personal history and listed her
qualifications to be on the Commission. She said she has had
many years' experience working with discrimination cases. She
reported that she was involved with changes made to the
discrimination law. She believes all people are created equally
and should not be discriminated against.
MS. MERKES related that she has been on the Kenai Peninsula
Borough Assembly for 17 years and she feels qualified to be on
the Commission, which has similar structure. She explained that
she is familiar with the process the Commission uses, the staff,
mediations, and case review hearings. She requested
confirmation.
Ms. Merkes shared statistics about the Commission. In 2012,
there were over 2,000 investigative calls, an increase of 31
cases. She noted the Commission appreciates the funding for two
new human rights investigators, which helped to reduce the case
load.
SENATOR COGHILL thanked Ms. Merkes for serving on the
Commission.
9:07:23 AM
SENATOR GIESSEL also thanked Ms. Merkes for her work and for re-
applying to serve again.
MS. MERKES thanked the committee.
CHAIR DYSON noted that he served on the Commission for four or
five years. He asked who the executive director is now.
MS. MERKES said Paula Haley.
CHAIR DYSON recalled that when he worked at the Commission, most
of the complaints had to do with discrimination in employment.
He asked if that was still true.
MS. MERKES reported that it was the same now. She thought about
95 percent of the cases were work-related discrimination issues.
CHAIR DYSON asked about possible statute changes.
MS. MERKES clarified that effective changes were made several
years ago. She said the best changes involved including
administrative law judges in human rights hearings.
9:09:44 AM
CHAIR DYSON spoke for the committee in offering to assist with
anything that needs to be done to help the Commission be more
effective. He asked if there were any objections to forwarding
Ms. Merkes' name. There were no objections.
CHAIR DYSON asked if Christa Bruce-Kotrc was present. He said
Ms. Kotrc's personal information is included in members'
packets.
9:11:21 AM
At ease.
9:14:55 AM
CHAIR DYSON asked why Ms. Bruce-Kotrc chose to serve on the
Alaska State Commission on Human Rights.
CHRISTA BRUCE-KOTRC, nominee, Alaska State Commission on Human
Rights, shared her personal story. She said she has been on the
Commission for a year and cares deeply about serving everyone
equally. She stated that the Commission gives hope to people who
feel disenfranchised and she appreciates being a part of that.
CHAIR DYSON asked if she heard the conversation with Grace
Merkes.
MS. BRUCE-KOTRC said she did not.
CHAIR DYSON related that he asked Ms. Merkes if discrimination
in the work place made up the majority of cases the Commission
deals with and she reported that it was true. He asked if Ms.
Bruce-Kotrc found the same thing to be true.
MS. BRUCE-KOTRC said definitely. She said, "It is wonderful to
have this venue to address those issues."
CHAIR DYSON asked if there is any pattern or common
denominators.
MS. BRUCE-KOTRC could not answer that question because she said
she has not been on the Commission long enough to see a pattern.
She related that she has seen, first hand, diligent and well-
researched work by the staff. She said she is proud of the work
Commission members do.
9:18:09 AM
CHAIR DYSON requested that the Commission report any statute
change requests.
9:18:26 AM
Alaska Board of Parole
CHAIR DYSON asked Sara Possenti to tell the committee about her
background, qualifications, and experience.
SARAH POSSENTI, nominee, Alaska Board of Parole, shared her
personal history, education, and work history. She recalled her
career with the Fairbanks Youth Court and as an adult probation
officer for about 12 years. She said she has supervised sex
offenders in the field and worked to prevent recidivism with
prisoners. She said she also worked with a substance abuse
program for prisoners.
She spoke of her work on the Alaska Board of Parole for the past
two years, reviewing files, attending hearings, and visiting
prisons.
SENATOR COGHILL thanked Ms. Possenti for her work.
CHAIR DYSON asked if she is retired.
MS. POSSENTI said she was working for the probation system.
CHAIR DYSON asked if she is working for the state now.
MS. POSSENTI said no.
CHAIR DYSON said he appreciates her service. He said he wished
to discuss sentencing reform issues further with Ms. Possenti.
MS. POSSENTI said she wished to do so. The Board has a lot of
ideas about various release plans. She explained parole
decisions are based on risk to community. She said the Board
makes discretionary parole plans and has had good success.
CHAIR DYSON suggested they meet in Anchorage for further
conversation.
9:25:27 AM
Alaska Violent Crimes Compensation Board
CHAIR DYSON introduced Mr. Godfrey as a re-appointment to the
Alaska Violent Crimes Compensation Board. He noted Mr. Godfrey
is a friend of his. He asked Mr. Godfrey why he has chosen to
serve on the Board.
GERAD GODFREY, nominee, Alaska Violent Crimes Compensation
Board, shared how he was asked to be on the Board. He said he
was appointed by then-Governor Murkowski in 2003. He shared that
he had experienced violent crime within his own family. He
stated that is has been a gratifying and cathartic experience to
serve on the Board. He said his goal is to leave the Board in a
better position than when he came on. He noted this would be his
last time on the Board as they help to revise the statutes and
bring them up to date. He voiced appreciation for legislative
support for the Board.
9:28:11 AM
Alaska Police Standards Council
CHAIR DYSON inquired if Chief Mew was being re-appointed. He
congratulated Chief Mew for his excellent work in the Anchorage
Police Department (APD). He asked Chief Mew to share his reasons
for serving on the Alaska Police Standards Council and his work
experience.
CHIEF MARK MEW, nominee, Alaska Police Standards Council said he
was being reappointed to the Council. He shared his work history
which began in law enforcement in the area of corrections in
Oregon. He related that he has been with APD since 1983, retired
in 2003, and worked in the school district as Director of
Security and Emergency Preparedness. In 2010, he said he began
as Chief of APD. He added that he has also attended FBI
academies for police chiefs.
He explained that the Council sets hiring and training
standards, as well as decides when certificates should be
revoked, a very important function of the Council because it
maintains standards of performance and behavior. He said he has
a vested interest in having high police standards upheld. He
mentioned a recent case which had a tremendous negative impact
on the Anchorage area. He noted a high priority in maintaining
high police standards. He stressed the importance of the APD and
the Troopers' involvement in the Council.
CHAIR DYSON noted he has watched Chief Mew deal honorably with
some very tough situations. He asked if the issue of "not
ratting out a buddy" is prevalent in the APD.
CHIEF MEW maintained that his officers are forthcoming with
information and the APD does not have that problem. He stated
that a high mark has been set within the APD. He said the
Council uses decertification as a punishment when there is
dishonesty.
CHAIR DYSON said it seems difficult to believe that the other
officers did not know what was going on in the aforementioned
case. He mentioned another situation fifteen years ago related
to bargaining over decertification.
9:36:33 AM
CHIEF MEW could not recall a time at the APD when someone should
have been fired and they were allowed to stay on and retain
certification. He said sometimes a person is terminated and they
are still able to collect their retirement; most of the time the
Council moves for decertification when an employee is fired. He
explained the process if an officer quits first. The Council
still does the decertification paperwork.
9:38:33 AM
CHAIR DYSON assumed that future potential employers have access
to the decertification record.
CHIEF MEW said yes. The next department will do a background
check and discover that information. Also, the Council will get
word of the person's application for a new position and prevent
a certificate from being issued.
CHAIR DYSON thanked Chief Mew for his work.
9:40:15 AM
JEFF EDWARDS, Executive Director, Alaska Board of Parole, noted
he was just there for questions and to support Ms. Possenti's
reappointment on the Alaska Board of Parole.
CHAIR DYSON requested further discussion about felony records
when possible. He asked Mr. Edwards if he is in Anchorage.
MR. EDWARDS agreed to meet some time. He said his office in
downtown Anchorage has parole, executive clemency, and pardon
functions.
CHAIR DYSON moved to forward the following appointments to a
joint legislative session for consideration:
Alaska State Commission for Human Rights
Christa Bruce-Kotrc
Grace Merkes
Alaska Board of Parole
Sarah Possenti
Alaska Violent Crimes Compensation Board
Gerad Godfrey
Alaska Police Standards Council
Mark Mew
There being no objection, it was so ordered.
CHAIR DYSON clarified that the motion does not reflect an intent
by any of the members to vote for or against the confirmation of
the individuals during any further sessions.
9:42:17 AM
There being no further business to come before the committee,
Chair Dyson adjourned the Senate State Affairs Standing
Committee at 8:42 a.m.
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