00                            HOUSE BILL NO. 315                                                                          
01 "An Act defining 'public agency' for appointments of the office of public advocacy; and                                 
02 providing for an effective date."                                                                                       
03 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                                
04    * Section 1.  The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section                         
05 to read:                                                                                                                
06 LEGISLATIVE INTENT. It is the intent of the legislature that AS 44.21.470, as                                           
07 amended by sec. 2 of this Act, overturn the decision of the Alaska Supreme Court in Flores v.                           
08 Flores, 598 P.2d 893 (Alaska 1979) to the extent that the decision held that the Alaska Legal                           
09 Services Corporation is a "public agency" entitling an indigent parent in a child custody case                          
10 to court-appointed counsel.                                                                                             
11    * Sec. 2.  AS 44.21.470 is amended to read:                                                                        
12            Sec. 44.21.470. Definitions [DEFINITION]. In AS 44.21.410 - 44.21.460,                                   
13                 (1)  "public agency" means the federal government or a state or                                     
14       municipal government and does not include tribal governments or entities that                                 

01       receive funding from the federal government or a state or municipal government;                               
02                 (2)  "volunteer guardian ad litem" means a court-appointed special                                  
03       advocate (CASA).                                                                                                  
04    * Sec. 3.  The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to                         
05 read:                                                                                                                   
06       APPLICABILITY. AS 44.21.470, as amended by sec. 2 of this Act, applies to                                         
07 appointments occurring on or after the effective date of this Act.                                                      
08    * Sec. 4.  This Act takes effect July 1, 2024.