02/18/2015 01:00 PM House JUDICIARY

            HB   5-CONSERVATOR OF PROTECTED PERSONS                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
1:23:32 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR LEDOUX announced that the first order of business would be                                                                
HOUSE BILL  NO. 5,  "An Act  relating to the  persons who  may be                                                               
appointed  conservators  of a  protected  person."   [Before  the                                                               
committee was HB 5, Version 29-LS0032\W]                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
1:23:42 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CECILE ELLIOTT,  Staff, Representative Mike Hawker,  Alaska State                                                               
Legislature, referred to a prior  discussion regarding "by blood,                                                               
marriage,  or adoption,"  and explained  it  is terminology  used                                                               
throughout the  statutes that  when an  individual is  related by                                                               
marriage  they are  an in-law.   She  noted it  is Representative                                                               
Hawker's  express intent  that  this  legislation be  implemented                                                               
using  no additional  state  resources  as HB  5  is to  narrowly                                                               
expand the definition of family to serve as a conservator.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR LEDOUX opened public testimony                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
1:26:44 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MARIE  DARLIN,  Coordinator,   American  Association  of  Retired                                                               
Persons (AARP),  Capital City Task  Force, stated  she represents                                                               
the Capital City Task Force  that previously forwarded its letter                                                               
of  support for  the  original bill.   "There  has  been so  much                                                               
discussion and  everything else, I  think that is where  we stand                                                               
right now," she said.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE CLAMAN asked whether AARP expects conflicts.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
1:27:53 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MS.  DARLIN responded  that the  Capital City  Task Force  speaks                                                               
with the  people with the  knowledge of the reports  and supports                                                               
the original bill.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
MS.  DARLIN, in  response  to Representative  Claman, stated  she                                                               
"has no idea"  who are typically being  appointed as conservators                                                               
or whether it is difficult to find conservators.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR LEDOUX  closed public testimony  after ascertaining  no one                                                               
further wished to testify.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
1:30:13 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  CLAMAN stated  he is  not offering  an amendment,                                                               
but has been working on basically  taking out the first phrase of                                                               
(c) so  it would read  that an individual,  otherwise conflicted,                                                               
could go to the judge and ask the judge to waive the conflict.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
1:31:04 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE KELLER made  a motion that the  committee zero out                                                               
the  indeterminate fiscal  note  presented by  the Department  of                                                               
Health and Social Services.  There  being no objection, it was so                                                               
ordered.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
1:31:35 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  KELLER moved  to  report HB  5,  Version W,  from                                                               
committee  with individual  recommendations and  the accompanying                                                               
zero fiscal  note.  There being  no objection, HB 5  was reported                                                               
from the House Judiciary Standing Committee.