00                             HOUSE BILL NO. 276                                                                          
01 "An Act relating to investigation of discrimination and harassment in the legislature;                                  
02 requiring the executive director of the Legislative Affairs Agency to establish a                                       
03 personnel office; and relating to the Legislative Ethics Act."                                                          
04 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                                
05    * Section 1. AS 24.10 is amended by adding a new section to article 2 to read:                                     
06            Sec. 24.10.070. Investigation of prohibited harassment and discrimination.                                 
07       (a) The personnel office in the Legislative Affairs Agency shall investigate an                                   
08       allegation that a member of the legislature or a legislative employee has violated                                
09                 (1)  AS 18.80.220;                                                                                      
10                 (2)  a policy adopted by the legislature that prohibits sexual harassment                               
11       or other discrimination.                                                                                          
12            (b)  The personnel office in the Legislative Affairs Agency shall conclude the                               
13       investigation with a final written report and promptly deliver a copy of the report to                            
14                 (1)  if the legislature is in session, the chair of the rules committee of                              
01       each house;                                                                                                       
02                 (2)  if the legislature is not in session, the presiding officer of each                                
03       house;                                                                                                            
04                 (3)  the Select Committee on Legislative Ethics.                                                        
05 (c)  If the personnel office in the Legislative Affairs Agency finds in the final                                       
06 report under (b) of this section that the prohibited discrimination alleged under (a) of                                
07 this section occurred, the personnel office shall initiate a complaint under                                            
08 AS 24.60.170(b) stating that the prohibited discrimination violates AS 24.60                                            
09       (Legislative Ethics Act).                                                                                         
10            (d)  The report under (b) of this section is confidential unless made public                                 
11       under AS 24.60.170(m).                                                                                            
12    * Sec. 2. AS 24.20 is amended by adding a new section to read:                                                     
13            Sec. 24.20.052. Personnel office. The executive director of the Legislative                                
14       Affairs Agency shall establish a personnel office in the Legislative Affairs Agency.                              
15    * Sec. 3. AS 24.60.039(a) is amended to read:                                                                      
16            (a)  A legislator or legislative employee may not engage in acts of sexual                               
17       harassment or other discrimination in violation of AS 18.80.220 or a policy                               
18       adopted by the legislature.