ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE  HOUSE RULES STANDING COMMITTEE  January 15, 2018 4:14 p.m. MEMBERS PRESENT Representative Gabrielle LeDoux, Chair Representative Matt Claman, Vice Chair Representative Sam Kito Representative Louise Stutes Representative Mike Chenault Representative Lora Reinbold MEMBERS ABSENT  Representative David Eastman OTHER LEGISLATORS PRESENT Representative Bryce Edgmon Representative DeLena Johnson Representative Dan Ortiz Representative Paul Seaton Representative Chris Tuck Representative David Guttenberg Senator Kevin Meyer Senator Peter Micciche COMMITTEE CALENDAR  EXECUTIVE SESSION CONSIDERATION OF A REPORT ON A PERSONNEL MATTER PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION  No previous action to record WITNESS REGISTER SKIFF LOBAUGH, Human Resource Manager Personnel Legislative Affairs Agency Alaska State Legislature Juneau, Alaska POSITION STATEMENT: Answered questions during consideration of a report on a personnel matter. ACTION NARRATIVE 4:14:19 PM CHAIR GABRIELLE LEDOUX called the House Rules Standing Committee meeting to order at 4:14 p.m. Representatives Claman, Stutes, Kito, Chenault, Reinbold, and LeDoux were present at the call to order. ^EXECUTIVE SESSION EXECUTIVE SESSION    4:15:15 PM CHAIR LEDOUX announced that the first order of business would be an executive session. 4:15:23 PM REPRESENTATIVE CLAMAN moved to go into executive session under Uniform Rule 22(b)(2), discussion of subjects that tend to prejudice the reputation and character of a person, and Uniform Rule 22(b)(3), discussion of a matter that may by law be required to be confidential. He asked that the following individuals remain in the room: Doug Gardner; Megan Wallace; Skiff Lobaugh; House Rules Standing Committee aide, Courtney Enright; any members of the House of Representatives; and any invited testimony, as needed. There being no objection, the House Rules Standing Committee entered into executive session. 4:16:02 PM The committee took an at-ease from 4:16 p.m. to 6:31 p.m. for the purpose of an executive session. 6:31:57 PM CHAIR LEDOUX called the House Rules Standing Committee back to order. Present at the call back to order were Representatives Claman, Stutes, Kito, Chenault, Reinbold, and LeDoux. ^CONSIDERATION OF A REPORT ON A PERSONNEL MATTER CONSIDERATION OF A REPORT ON A PERONNEL MATTER  6:32:54 PM CHAIR LEDOUX announced that the final order of business would be the consideration of a report on a personnel matter. 6:32:57 PM REPRESENTATIVE CLAMAN moved and asked unanimous consent that the House Rules Standing Committee release the human resources investigative report for Representative Dean Westlake, dated December 20, 2017. 6:33:09 PM CHAIR LEDOUX objected for purposes of discussion. She stated support for the release of the report, but emphasized the importance of balancing the interest in public disclosure with the interest in confidential human resource matters. She said the committee recognizes that one complainant has already published a complaint. She said the committee has weighed in favor of disclosure to show that the House treats all harassment claims seriously and has zero tolerance for sexual harassment. Further, she clarified, "By releasing this report, we are also not retaliating against any complainant in any manner." 6:34:38 PM REPRESENTATIVE REINBOLD said she thinks the executive session on the issue addressed questions that had to be answered and was conducted in a respectful manner. She expressed her support of the release of the report, because she thinks that the public wants to know both sides of the House are taking the issue seriously, not only through words, but also by action. She concluded by offering gratitude for the ability to assess the issue and make the decision to release [the report] to the public, while respecting privacy and recognizing the public process and that [the legislature] is under "deeper scrutiny." 6:35:41 PM CHAIR LEDOUX asked Representative Claman if the motion included an accompanying letter [submitted by a complainant] to go along with the release of the report. 6:35:58 PM REPRESENTATIVE CLAMAN noted that the complainant's March 13, 2017, letter is available on line, so the committee does need to release it; however, he recommended that whoever [releases the report] "makes clear where to find the letter on line." 6:36:28 PM CHAIR LEDOUX removed her objection to the motion to release the human resources investigative report for Representative Westlake, dated December 20, 2017. CHAIR LEDOUX invited Skiff Lobaugh to answer any committee questions. 6:37:05 PM REPRESENTATIVE CHENAULT upon confirmation from Chair LeDoux that she had removed her objection, reminded Chair LeDoux that the motion remained before the committee. 6:37:24 PM CHAIR LEDOUX, after ascertaining that there was no further objection, announced that the report was released to the public. 6:38:02 PM REPRESENTATIVE CLAMAN asked Mr. Lobaugh if he had spoken with Speaker of the House, Bryce Edgmon, as part of the investigation "about these events." 6:38:17 PM SKIFF LOBAUGH, Human Resource Manager, Personnel, Legislative Affairs Agency, Alaska State Legislature, answered yes. In response to follow-up questions, he confirmed he also had spoken with Representative Tuck but not to Representative LeDoux, because "she never came up as witness or anything to do with the investigation." REPRESENTATIVE CLAMAN asked, "In their actions, did Representative Edgmon and Representative Tuck follow the legislature's sexual harassment policies and procedures in their ... actions in response to these events?" MR. LOBAUGH answered, "They did follow the Legislative Council's policy on sexual and other workplace harassment." 6:39:18 PM REPRESENTATIVE REINBOLD offered her understanding that there is no mandatory policy of reporting as exists in the U.S. Senate; therefore, she asked, "Whose responsibility is it to [escalate] a situation and what warrants that?" MR. LOBAUGH answered that "the individual who receives these case-by-case complaints would need to review and look at that." REPRESENTATIVE REINBOLD said she knows the policy is currently being updated but asked what the current options are regarding to whom a person [experiencing harassment] can report. MR. LOBAUGH answered that under current policy, the person can report to his/her: supervisor; designated staff of the presiding officer; designated staff in the Rules Office; or designated staff in the office of the co-chair of the House Finance Standing Committee. REPRESENTATIVE REINBOLD asked, "Is everybody in the building aware of who those individuals are?" MR. LOBAUGH answered, "We can do a better job." To that end, he related that he is currently working on a web site that will provide the specific names of contacts." He indicated this is an attempt to offer clearer information. 6:41:31 PM ADJOURNMENT  There being no further business before the committee, the House Rules Standing Committee meeting was adjourned at 6:42 p.m.