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HB 293                                                                                                                        
HOUSE BILL NO. 293 by the House Rules Committee by request of                                                                   
the Governor, entitled:                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act relating to powers of the Alaska Police Standards                                                                  
     Council; and relating to background checks for admission to                                                                
     police training programs and certification as a police officer."                                                          
                                                                                                                                
was read the first time and referred to the State Affairs and Judiciary                                                         
Committees.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
The following fiscal note(s) apply:                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
1.  Zero, Dept. of Corrections                                                                                                  
2.  Zero, Dept. of Public Safety                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
The Governor's transmittal letter dated January 17 follows:                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
"Dear Speaker Edgmon:                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Under the authority of Article III, Section 18, of the Alaska                                                                   
Constitution, I am transmitting a bill relating to the Alaska Police                                                            
Standards Council and national criminal background checks for                                                                   
prospective police officers.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
The Alaska Police Standards Council (Council) is within the                                                                     
Department of Public Safety, and is tasked with overseeing                                                                      
professional standards for employment as a police officer and other                                                             
law enforcement officials. Further, the Council is statutorily                                                                  
authorized to establish police training programs. A person may not be                                                           
certified as a police officer without going through the required training                                                       

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and meeting other requirements the Council has established for the                                                              
employment of police officers.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
This bill adds to the Council's powers the ability for the Department of                                                        
Public Safety to request a national criminal history record check from                                                          
the Federal Bureau of Investigation for a person who applies to attend                                                          
a training program established by the Council or who seeks                                                                      
employment as a police officer by an employer that lacks the ability to                                                         
request a national criminal history record check. This bill would give                                                          
the Council the ability to assure that only qualified candidates become                                                         
police officers by making sure that a thorough national background                                                              
check is completed on all potential police officers. Currently, most                                                            
employers authorized to submit requests for national criminal                                                                   
background checks from the Federal Bureau of Investigation already                                                              
do, and would continue to do so. This bill would allow the Council to                                                           
do the same in the situation where a person is applying to a training                                                           
program established by the Council or where a potential employer                                                                
does not have the ability to request a national criminal history record                                                         
check.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
I urge your prompt and favorable action on this bill.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Sincerely,                                                                                                                      
/s/                                                                                                                             
Bill Walker                                                                                                                     
Governor"