Legislature(2021 - 2022)GRUENBERG 120

04/27/2021 03:00 PM House STATE AFFAIRS

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* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ HB 163 FORM OF SIGNATURE ON VEHICLE TITLE TELECONFERENCED
Heard & Held
-- Testimony <Invitation Only> --
+= HB 102 STATE INSUR. CATASTROPHE RESERVE ACCT. TELECONFERENCED
Moved HB 102 Out of Committee
-- Public Testimony --
+= HB 157 APOC; REPORT REFERENDA/RECALL CONTRIBUTOR TELECONFERENCED
Moved HB 157 Out of Committee
-- Public Testimony --
+= HB 118 EXPANDING PRISONER ACCESS TO COMPUTERS TELECONFERENCED
Heard & Held
+= HB 5 SEXUAL ASSAULT; DEF. OF "CONSENT" TELECONFERENCED
Heard & Held
+ Bills Previously Heard/Scheduled TELECONFERENCED
**Streamed live on AKL.tv**
             HB 5-SEXUAL ASSAULT; DEF. OF "CONSENT"                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
4:24:30 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS  announced that the final  order of business                                                               
would  be  SPONSOR SUBSTITUTE  FOR  HOUSE  BILL  NO. 5,  "An  Act                                                               
relating to sexual abuse of  a minor; relating to sexual assault;                                                               
relating to  the code of  military justice; relating  to consent;                                                               
relating to the  testing of sexual assault  examination kits; and                                                               
providing for an effective date."                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
4:25:25 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  Tarr, as  prime  sponsor of  SSHB  5, noted  that                                                               
additional support  documents [included in the  committee packet]                                                               
had been  distributed to the  committee.  The  material addressed                                                               
the rape  by fraud  provisions and included  the 2019  Felony Sex                                                               
Offense Report.  She concluded  by quoting an attorney, who said,                                                               
"Rape  is like  a  murder where  the victim  doesn't  die."   She                                                               
believed  that  statement captured  the  severity  of the  crimes                                                               
being considered under SSHB 5.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
4:26:59 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  EASTMAN moved  to adopt  Amendment 1  to SSHB  5,                                                               
labeled 32-LS0065\G.1, Radford, 4/20/21, which read:                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     Page 3, following line 2:                                                                                                  
     Insert new bill sections to read:                                                                                          
        "* Sec. 3. AS 11.41.432(b) is amended to read:                                                                      
          (b)  Except as provided in (d) - (f) [(d) OR (e)]                                                                 
     of this section, in a  prosecution under AS 11.41.410 -                                                                    
     11.41.427, it is not a  defense that the victim was, at                                                                    
     the time  of the alleged  offense, the legal  spouse of                                                                    
     the defendant.                                                                                                             
        * Sec.  4. AS 11.41.432 is  amended by adding  a new                                                                  
     subsection to read:                                                                                                        
          (f)  It is a defense to a crime charged under                                                                         
     AS 11.41.410(a)(5)   or    11.41.420(a)(5)   that   the                                                                    
     offender  is married  to the  person and  neither party                                                                    
     has filed  with the  court for separation,  divorce, or                                                                    
     dissolution of the marriage."                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
     Renumber the following bill sections accordingly.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
     Page 6, line 19:                                                                                                           
          Following "Act,":                                                                                                     
          Insert "AS 11.41.432(b), as amended by sec. 3 of                                                                      
     this Act,  AS 11.41.432(f), enacted  by sec. 4  of this                                                                    
     Act,"                                                                                                                      
          Delete "sec. 3"                                                                                                       
          Insert "sec. 5"                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
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          Delete "sec. 4"                                                                                                       
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          Delete "sec. 7"                                                                                                       
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          Delete "sec. 8"                                                                                                       
          Insert "sec. 10"                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
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          Delete "sec. 9"                                                                                                       
          Insert "sec. 11"                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
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          Delete "sec. 11"                                                                                                      
          Insert "sec. 13"                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
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          Delete "secs. 1 - 9 and 11"                                                                                           
          Insert "secs. 1 - 11 and 13"                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
     Page 6, line 26:                                                                                                           
          Delete "Section 10"                                                                                                   
          Insert "Section 12"                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE CLAMAN objected.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  EASTMAN, in  explanation of  Amendment 1,  opined                                                               
that  two individuals  who were  married and  engaging in  sexual                                                               
relations  should  not  be  prosecuted   "under  these  kinds  of                                                               
situations."  He believed that  spouses should be exempt from the                                                               
criminal sanctions [in the rape by fraud provisions].                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE TARR stated  that she did not  support Amendment 1                                                               
because it  would be applied to  the rape by fraud  section.  She                                                               
explained  that the  rape by  fraud provisions  were intended  to                                                               
apply  to a  circumstance  in which  the offender  misrepresented                                                               
his/her  physical identity  and recklessly  disregarded that  the                                                               
victim  would  not  have  consented   to  engaging  in  a  sexual                                                               
relationship  had  the  offender's   real  identity  been  known.                                                               
Moreover,  she said  she could  not  think of  a circumstance  in                                                               
which [rape by fraud] would apply to a married couple.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS  asked Representative  Eastman to  provide a                                                               
scenario  that he  was attempting  to solve  or prevent  with the                                                               
proposed amendment.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE EASTMAN remarked:                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     There have  been situations where,  you know,  a spouse                                                                    
     is  thinking that  their partner  is having  an affair,                                                                    
     and as part  of catching their partner in  the act they                                                                    
     switch places  and pretend  to be  the person  that ...                                                                    
     they think their spouse is having an affair with.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  EASTMAN claimed  that these  kinds of  situations                                                               
had  happened and  would continue  to  happen.   He continued  by                                                               
recounting the story  line from a Shakespeare  play, titled All's                                                             
Well  That  Ends Well.    He  believed  it  was not  possible  to                                                             
conceive  of all  the  situations  in which  [the  rape by  fraud                                                               
provisions] could be  used against an innocent  spouse.  Further,                                                               
he believed  that charging  a spouse with  rape for  having slept                                                               
with [his/her spouse] would be wrong.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR   KREISS-TOMKINS  asked   Mr.   Stinson   whether  he   had                                                               
encountered a  scenario that  Amendment 1  would apply  to during                                                               
his time in criminal law.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
4:33:01 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
JAMES STINSON,  Director, Office  of Public  Advocacy, Department                                                               
of  Administration, said  he had  not encountered  that scenario.                                                               
He understood  that the rape  by fraud provisions were  trying to                                                               
capture a person  who had impersonated a  different actual person                                                               
that  was  in  a  relationship  with  someone.    Ultimately,  he                                                               
believed that the proposed amendment  would come down to a policy                                                               
call on  whether it should be  considered rape in the  event of a                                                               
spousal relationship wherein one  of the individuals thought that                                                               
he/she  was  having an  affair  with  somebody but  was  actually                                                               
sleeping with his/her spouse.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
4:34:49 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
JOHN SKIDMORE,  Deputy Attorney General,  Office of  the Attorney                                                               
General, Department  of Law, said  in his 22 years  of experience                                                               
he  had  never  encountered  a  case that  was  similar  to  what                                                               
Representative  Eastman had  laid out  in his  hypothetical.   He                                                               
shared   his  understanding   that  Representative   Eastman  was                                                               
proposing  that a  person had  engaged in  sexual relations  with                                                               
his/her  spouse  while believing  that  the  spouse was  a  third                                                               
person; further,  that person would  not have  actually consented                                                               
to  having sex  with the  actual spouse.   He  said despite  what                                                               
Shakespeare wrote,  it did  not seem like  a realistic  case that                                                               
would   be   referred   for   prosecution.      Nonetheless,   if                                                               
hypotheticals could  be strained  to the point  that it  would be                                                               
[referred to prosecution], he asked  why the legislature would be                                                               
interested  in passing  a law  that protected  an individual  who                                                               
could  have   sexual  relations  with  another   person  only  by                                                               
trickery.   He said he  was having difficulty  understanding that                                                               
concept, and  that it would  be up to  the committee to  make the                                                               
policy call.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
4:36:38 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  CLAMAN echoed  Mr. Skidmore's  observations.   He                                                               
said  he  was having  a  hard  time conceiving  the  circumstance                                                               
described by Representative Eastman;  further, he opined that the                                                               
application  to  marriage  defense  in  that  scenario  was  used                                                               
inappropriately.   He explained that  in the last few  years, the                                                               
legislature  had spent  a lot  of time  looking in  detail at  AS                                                               
11.41.432(b), which  was the provision  relating to  the marriage                                                               
defense,  as  well  as  other   subsections  on  defenses  in  AS                                                               
11.41.432.    He  believed  that  Amendment  1  was  proposed  in                                                               
reference   to   a  narrow   and   "somewhat   bizarre"  set   of                                                               
circumstances that  were hard  to imagine.   Further,  he pointed                                                               
out that  [the legislature] had  worked hard to try  to eliminate                                                               
the  marriage defense  except in  limited circumstances,  such as                                                               
the  Alzheimer's  scenario.   He  concluded  by  reiterating  his                                                               
opposition to the proposed amendment.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
4:38:08 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE VANCE  inquired about  the flexibility  in statute                                                               
when considering Alzheimer's cases pertaining to consent.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
MR.  SKIDMORE  relayed  that AS  11.41.432  described  that  "the                                                               
marriage defense is an affirmative  defense when the offender was                                                               
married to  the person,  neither party has  filed for  divorce or                                                               
separation  or dissolution.    The  the victim  in  that case  is                                                               
capable of  consenting and does,  in fact, consent  while capable                                                               
of understanding the  nature of consequences."   He recalled that                                                               
the  concerns  that  had  been   raised  during  the  legislative                                                               
testimony were  related to  the difficult  situations in  which a                                                               
person  was  capable of  consenting  on  Monday but  on  Tuesday,                                                               
because of the nature of  Alzheimer's disease, was not capable of                                                               
consenting.   He opined that  from that standpoint, there  was an                                                               
affirmative defense; further, that  prosecutors had discretion in                                                               
any  case that  was presented  to  them to  determine whether  it                                                               
appropriately  met the  elements  and could  be  proven beyond  a                                                               
reasonable doubt.   He  believed that  the statute  contained all                                                               
the necessary flexibility as written.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE VANCE questioned how  the proposed amendment would                                                               
affect that discretion in those types of scenarios.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
MR.  SKIDMORE  clarified that  Amendment  1  did not  pertain  to                                                               
Alzheimer's.    Instead,  he explained  that  the  amendment  was                                                               
trying to  look at a scenario  in which one spouse  was trying to                                                               
commit  a fraud  on  the other  spouse  by impersonating  someone                                                               
else.   He  said  he struggled  with the  concept  that a  spouse                                                               
wouldn't recognize his/her own spouse.  He remarked:                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     But assuming for argument's sake  that ... I can change                                                                    
     my  appearance in  some capacity  that  I can  actually                                                                    
     fool  the person  with whom  I have  the most  intimate                                                                    
     relationship  on the  planet with,  my spouse  - I  can                                                                    
     fool that person into thinking  that I'm another person                                                                    
     - in  that scenario, this  amendment would say  ... the                                                                    
     spouse that  is the victim  didn't want to engage  in a                                                                    
     sexual  act  with  their actual  spouse  but  was  only                                                                    
     willing  to engage  in  that sexual  act  with a  third                                                                    
     person  outside   of  the  marriage.     And   in  that                                                                    
     circumstance   now,   ...   if  you   really   have   a                                                                    
     relationship  that's dissolved  that significantly  and                                                                    
     they are incapable of recognizing  who their own spouse                                                                    
     is, and they engage in a  sexual act with them and they                                                                    
     only did it because of  fraud, this amendment would now                                                                    
     say that's going to be protected.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
MR.  SKIDMORE   concluded  that  the  policy   question  for  the                                                               
committee was whether  to protect the conduct of  the spouse that                                                               
committed that fraud.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
4:43:35 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE CLAMAN  asked if  Amendment 1  were to  pass, what                                                               
the impact  would be of  making "this"  a defense rather  than an                                                               
affirmative defense.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
MR.   SKIDMORE  believed   that  the   difference  was   that  an                                                               
affirmative  defense required  the  defendant to  put forth  some                                                               
evidence  that   established  that  scenario;   alternatively,  a                                                               
defense  didn't require  the defendant  to  put forward  anything                                                               
affirmatively but required the prosecution to disprove it.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
4:45:03 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE EASTMAN inquired about  the statute of limitations                                                               
that would apply to the rape  by fraud provisions should the bill                                                               
pass into law.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
MR. SKIDMORE  stated that sexual  assault did not have  a statute                                                               
of limitations.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  EASTMAN   pointed  out  that  Mr.   Skidmore  had                                                               
mentioned that  [the rape by  fraud provisions] would  only apply                                                               
when a spouse  would not have consented to  sexual relations [had                                                               
he/she known the  true identity of the offender];  however, as he                                                               
understood it, that  concept was not clearly stated  in the bill.                                                               
Additionally, he recalled testimony  from a previous hearing that                                                               
had indicated  that a person's  prior behavior did not  equate to                                                               
consent.  He asked for further clarification.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
MR. SKIDMORE confirmed that previous  conduct did not necessarily                                                               
equate to  consent for  a particular  incident.   Nonetheless, he                                                               
explained that as a prosecutor,  his obligation would be to prove                                                               
that  the  victim  did  not  consent.   He  anticipated  that  if                                                               
Amendment 1 were  adopted, in any case in which  he/she would try                                                               
to  bring a  charge  under  the [rape  by  fraud provision],  the                                                               
defense attorney  would argue:   "This  was their  spouse; you're                                                               
telling  me  they weren't  considering  [having]  sex with  their                                                               
spouse?"    He believed  that  was  the  consent issue  that  the                                                               
prosecution  would  be faced  with  under  this subsection.    He                                                               
explained that  identity was  the factor  in question  under this                                                               
provision  and whether  the  victim truly  did  not perceive  the                                                               
actual identity  of the offender.   He added that dressing  up as                                                               
someone else would not be enough.  He continued:                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     I could  try and  make myself look  like Brad  Pitt ...                                                                    
     and so,  if I attempted  to do  that, I don't  think my                                                                    
     wife  would ever  be fooled  into thinking  that I  was                                                                    
     Brad  Pitt.    And  so,   the  question  is  if  I  was                                                                    
     pretending to  be him,  and I tried  to engage  in some                                                                    
     sort of sexual act with my  wife ... did she consent to                                                                    
     that sex with me or was she truly fooled...                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE    EASTMAN    maintained   his    concern    about                                                               
criminalizing   conduct  that   was  taking   place  within   the                                                               
[confines] of marriage, which he believed shouldn't be criminal.                                                                
                                                                                                                                
4:53:33 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE CLAMAN  maintained his objection to  the motion to                                                               
adopt Amendment 1.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
4:54:01 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
A  roll call  vote was  taken.   Representative Eastman  voted in                                                               
favor  of  Amendment 1.    Representatives  Tarr, Story,  Claman,                                                               
Vance, Kaufman, and Kreiss-Tomkins  voted against it.  Therefore,                                                               
Amendment 1 failed by a vote of 1-6.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
4:54:56 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  VANCE  moved to  adopt  Amendment  2 to  SSHB  5,                                                               
labeled 32-LS0065\G.4, Radford, 4/26/21, which read:                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     Page 5, line 6:                                                                                                            
          Delete "person"                                                                                                       
          Insert "victim"                                                                                                       
          Delete "defendant"                                                                                                    
          Insert "offender"                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
     Page 5, line 12:                                                                                                           
          Delete "defendant"                                                                                                    
          Insert "offender"                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
     Page 5, line 14:                                                                                                           
          Delete "defendant's"                                                                                                  
          Insert "offender's"                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
     Page 5, line 15:                                                                                                           
          Delete "defendant"                                                                                                    
          Insert "offender"                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS objected for the purpose of discussion.                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
4:55:00 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  VANCE explained  that Amendment  2 would  provide                                                               
consistency  in  the bill  language  by  replacing "person"  with                                                               
"victim" and replacing "defendant" with "offender" on page 5.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  KREISS-TOMKINS questioned  whether  the inserted  language                                                               
differed  from other  criminal law  statutes.   Additionally,  he                                                               
asked why the  bill was not originally drafted  with the proposed                                                               
language in Amendment 2.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE VANCE said she did not know the answer.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  KREISS-TOMKINS  asked  Mr. Stinson  whether  the  language                                                               
proposed in  Amendment 2 was  consistent with other  criminal law                                                               
statutes.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
4:57:32 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR. STINSON  said he was  unsure whether  there would be  a legal                                                               
significance.   He explained  that the  person being  charged was                                                               
designated  as the  "defendant"  whereas the  victim witness  was                                                               
referred  to  as the  "victim"  or  "alleged victim"  during  the                                                               
course of the proceedings.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  CLAMAN,   after  a   quick  perusal   through  AS                                                               
11.41.410,  AS  11.41.420,  and  AS  11.41.425,  noted  that  the                                                               
statutory  language referred  to the  "offender" rather  than the                                                               
"defendant".   Therefore, he  believed that  changing "defendant"                                                               
to  "offender",  as  proposed  in  Amendment  2,  would  be  more                                                               
consistent with the  language in AS 11.41.410.   However, he said                                                               
he  was fairly  certain that  the use  of the  word "victim"  was                                                               
unusual  because it  would imply  a  conviction.   He shared  his                                                               
belief  that   deleting  "person"  and  inserting   "victim",  as                                                               
proposed in Amendment  2, would draw the conclusion  that a crime                                                               
had been committed.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE EASTMAN pointed  out that referring to  a party as                                                               
a "petitioner" did  not necessarily mean that  their petition was                                                               
valid.   Nonetheless, he agreed  with Representative  Claman that                                                               
to decide  that a crime  had been  committed ahead of  time would                                                               
prejudice the entire process.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
5:01:27 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
RENEE MCFARLAND,  Deputy Public Defender, Alaska  Public Defender                                                               
Agency, noted  that sexual  assault and sexual  abuse of  a minor                                                               
statutes used the word "offender"  in reference to the defendant.                                                               
Further, sexual abuse of a  minor statutes used the word "victim"                                                               
in  provisions  pertaining  to  individuals  being  charged  with                                                               
conduct  involving  their  children  or people  in  positions  of                                                               
authority.   She  also  noted under  AS  11.41.470, "victim"  was                                                               
defined as "the  person alleged to have been  subjected to sexual                                                               
assault in any degree or sexual  abuse of a minor in any degree."                                                               
Additionally, the  current definition  of "without  consent" used                                                               
the word  "defendant".  Ultimately, she  concluded, the statutory                                                               
language used  "offender" in reference  to the offense  at issue,                                                               
"defendant"   when   addressing   consent,  and   "victim"   when                                                               
discussing certain aspects of sexual abuse of a minor.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
5:03:00 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE TARR  pointed out that in  "common language" there                                                               
was an  ongoing effort to  transition the verbiage  from "victim"                                                               
to "survivor".   She acknowledged that the effort  was outside of                                                               
the law; nonetheless,  it was part of the  cultural change around                                                               
these  issues.    Regarding  the use  of  "offender"  instead  of                                                               
"defendant", she said  she was comfortable with the  change if it                                                               
would maintain consistency.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS  asked Mr.  Skidmore whether  the Department                                                               
of Law (DOL) had a position on Amendment 2.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
MR.  SKIDMORE reported  that the  word  "victim" was  used in  AS                                                               
11.41.410(a)(4)(B)  and AS  11.41.420,  as  well as  subsequently                                                               
defined under AS  11.41.470(7).  He said DOL had  no objection to                                                               
the use  of the word  "victim".   He submitted that  the statutes                                                               
were  somewhat  inconsistent  in  their use  of  "person"  versus                                                               
"victim".  He said he understood  Amendment 2 to be an attempt at                                                               
clarifying the  definition of consent  in terms of who  was being                                                               
discussed.   He  believed  it  would be  a  policy  call for  the                                                               
committee.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
5:06:14 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE   KAUFMAN  surmised   that  the   ideal  statutory                                                               
language  would  be  the  most  neutral  wording  that  correctly                                                               
identified the  "players."  He  asked Mr. Skidmore  whether there                                                               
was a benefit  to using the terms "person"  or "defendant", which                                                               
were more neutral, as opposed to "victim" and "offender."                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
MR. SKIDMORE  agreed with the  concept of using the  most neutral                                                               
terms in statute in addition  to providing clarity.  He continued                                                               
to defer  to the committee  on whether Amendment 2  would provide                                                               
clarity.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS  maintained his objection.   He said  he was                                                               
in favor  of using neutral legal  language and that it  was up to                                                               
the defense  and the prosecution  to make their case,  as opposed                                                               
to the  statutory language.   Further, he pointed out  that there                                                               
had been no confusion around the existing language.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
5:09:06 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE VANCE stated  that the purpose of  Amendment 2 was                                                               
to clarify who was being  described in the definition of consent.                                                               
She pointed out that the  terms "victim" and "offender" were used                                                               
in  Section 4  of SSHB  5; therefore,  she believed  the proposed                                                               
amendment would  create consistency.   Nonetheless,  she deferred                                                               
to the will of the committee.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE STORY  inquired about the bill  sponsor's position                                                               
on Amendment 2.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  TARR said  she was  opposed  at this  time.   She                                                               
expressed  interest in  continuing  to  work with  Representative                                                               
Vance on the language as the bill moved forward.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
5:11:09 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  VANCE [moved  to withdraw]  Amendment 2.   [There                                                               
being no  objection, Amendment 2 was  withdrawn.]  Representative                                                               
Vance announced  that Amendment  3 would not  be offered  at this                                                               
time.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
5:12:37 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  TARR  moved  to  adopt Amendment  4  to  SSHB  5,                                                               
labeled 32-LS0065\G.6 Radford, 4/26/21, which read:                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
     Page 2, line 9:                                                                                                            
          Delete "who is"                                                                                                   
          Insert "whom the offender has"                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
     Page 2, line 11, following "person":                                                                                   
          Insert   "based   on   the   offender's   physical                                                                
     identity,   not   on    characteristics,   traits,   or                                                                
     accomplishments   of  or   similar   facts  about   the                                                                
     offender,  with  reckless  disregard  that  the  person                                                                
     would not  have consented to the  sexual penetration if                                                                
     the person knew the offender's real identity"                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
     Page 2, following line 11:                                                                                                 
          Insert a new bill section to read:                                                                                    
        "* Sec. 2. AS 11.41.410(b) is amended to read:                                                                      
          (b)  Sexual assault in the first degree,                                                                          
               (1)  under (a)(1) - (4) of this section, is                                                                  
      an unclassified felony and is punishable as provided                                                                      
     in AS 12.55;                                                                                                           
               (2)  under (a)(5) of this section, is a                                                                      
       class A felony and is punishable as provided in AS                                                                   
     12.55."                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     Renumber the following bill sections accordingly.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
     Page 2, line 31:                                                                                                           
          Delete "who is"                                                                                                   
          Insert "whom the offender has"                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
     Page 3, line 2, following "person":                                                                                    
          Insert   "based   on   the   offender's   physical                                                                
     identity,   not   on    characteristics,   traits,   or                                                                
     accomplishments   of  or   similar   facts  about   the                                                                
     offender,  with  reckless  disregard  that  the  person                                                                
     would not have  consented to the sexual  contact if the                                                                
     person knew the offender's real identity"                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
     Page 6, line 19, following "AS 11.41.420(a), ":                                                                            
          Insert "AS 11.41.420(b), as amended by sec. 2 of                                                                      
     this Act,"                                                                                                                 
          Delete "sec. 2"                                                                                                       
          Insert "sec. 3"                                                                                                       
          Delete "sec. 3"                                                                                                       
          Insert "sec. 4"                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
     Page 6, line 20:                                                                                                           
          Delete "sec. 4"                                                                                                       
          Insert "sec. 5"                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
     Page 6, lines 20 - 21:                                                                                                     
          Delete "sec. 5"                                                                                                       
          Insert "sec. 6"                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
     Page 6, line 21:                                                                                                           
          Delete "sec. 6"                                                                                                       
          Insert "sec. 7"                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
     Page 6, line 22:                                                                                                           
          Delete "sec. 7"                                                                                                       
          Insert "sec. 8"                                                                                                       
          Delete "sec. 8"                                                                                                       
          Insert "sec. 9"                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
     Page 6, line 23:                                                                                                           
          Delete "sec. 9"                                                                                                       
          Insert "sec. 10"                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     Page 6, line 24:                                                                                                           
          Delete "sec. 11"                                                                                                      
          Insert "sec. 12"                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     Page 6, line 25:                                                                                                           
          Delete "secs. 1 - 9 and 11"                                                                                           
          Insert "secs. 1 - 10 and 12"                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
     Page 6, line 26:                                                                                                           
          Delete "Section 10"                                                                                                   
          Insert "Section 11"                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE EASTMAN objected for the purpose of discussion.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
5:12:44 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  TARR  stated that  Amendment  4  was designed  to                                                               
"tighten"  up  the language  in  the  rape by  fraud  provisions.                                                               
Additionally,  she  said it  would  reclassify  the crime.    She                                                               
relayed that  lines 5-9 of  Amendment 4 were intended  to clarify                                                               
that  rape by  fraud would  apply to  situations in  which people                                                               
misrepresented  their  physical  identity  to  gain  consent  for                                                               
sexual   penetration   or   sexual   contact,   as   opposed   to                                                               
circumstances  wherein   someone  was  dishonest   about  his/her                                                               
education status  or income,  for example.   She said  the second                                                               
part of the  amendment addressed the sentencing  provisions.  She                                                               
noted  that   sexual  assault   in  the   first  degree   was  an                                                               
unclassified  felony with  a 15-20-year  prison sentence  for the                                                               
first offense.   Amendment 4,  she explained, would make  rape by                                                               
fraud a class A felony, whereas  sexual contact by fraud would be                                                               
a class B felony.   She reasoned that the crime  of rape by fraud                                                               
involved some premeditation, so situating  it as a class A felony                                                               
would differentiate  it between  sexual assault involving  use of                                                               
force and other circumstances.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
5:20:34 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  EASTMAN asked,  "Should  the ...  meaning of  the                                                               
amendment  basically be  'with reckless  disregard  for the  fact                                                               
that'?"                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  TARR  stated that  the  offender  would act  with                                                               
reckless disregard that  the person would not  have consented had                                                               
the offender not concealed his/her physical identity.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  EASTMAN  questioned   whether  it  was  "reckless                                                               
disregard that it might be possible."                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE TARR believed that was correct.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE EASTMAN  asked whether "non-consent"  would become                                                               
an element of the crime.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE TARR understood that  consent would be in question                                                               
in addition to  whether the person acted  with reckless disregard                                                               
to the sexual assault that took place.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  EASTMAN,  regarding  the statement,  "the  person                                                               
would not have  consented," asked to what extent  that would need                                                               
to be established as part of the crime.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
5:24:06 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR. SKIDMORE  said from  DOL's perspective,  the lack  of consent                                                               
would absolutely  be an  element of  the crime.   He  pointed out                                                               
that sexual conduct  between two adults was not in  and of itself                                                               
illegal  -  only  the  lack  of consent  made  it  illegal.    He                                                               
explained that  the lack of  consent in this case  was determined                                                               
by the fact  that a fraud had occurred, and  the fraud meant that                                                               
there wouldn't have  been consent had the person  known the other                                                               
individual's true identity.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  EASTMAN  expressed  his   confusion.    He  asked                                                               
whether rape by  fraud was a situation in which  the act of fraud                                                               
had deprived the victim of being  able to consent or "if they had                                                               
wanted  to consent  if they  knew the  offender's real  identity,                                                               
does that negate the crime?"                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR.  SKIDMORE sought  to verify  that Representative  Eastman was                                                               
asking  whether it  was a  crime if  [the victim]  didn't consent                                                               
because of the fraud  and would it not have been  a crime if [the                                                               
victim] knew the person's real identity.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE EASTMAN  answered yes.   He  asked, if  the victim                                                               
had known the real identity  and would have consented under those                                                               
circumstances, whether the crime of  rape by fraud would have not                                                               
occurred.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
MR. SKIDMORE replied:                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
     Yes, I  think if they  actually know the  person's real                                                                    
     identity,  or  if  they had  known  the  person's  real                                                                    
     identity and  they would have consented  had they known                                                                    
     the  real person's  identity, then  I  don't think  you                                                                    
     have a crime of sexual  assault because they were still                                                                    
     consenting to  the sexual conduct.   What the  crime of                                                                    
     sexual  assault  under  this particular  subsection  is                                                                    
     trying to get at is  the circumstance in which a person                                                                    
     did  not want  to  consent to  that  conduct with  that                                                                    
     person, but  if they  were consenting under  some other                                                                    
     circumstance, that's  kind of what we  talked about for                                                                    
     the earlier  amendment.   How in  the world  would that                                                                    
     ever  get  reported to  law  enforcement?   If  they're                                                                    
     consenting   to  it,   then   what  is   it  that   law                                                                    
     enforcement's investigating?                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS  observed that  there were  "dimensions upon                                                               
dimensions"  of hypotheticals  with  this  particular section  of                                                               
statute.  For  that reason, he said he found  it discomforting in                                                               
terms of [the legislature's] ability  to anticipate all scenarios                                                               
and consequences,  intended or otherwise.   Nonetheless,  he said                                                               
he appreciated that  Amendment 4 was trying to  narrow and refine                                                               
[the language].                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
5:28:46 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE   KAUFMAN  inquired   about  the   term  "physical                                                               
identity",  as  opposed to  "identity".    He questioned  whether                                                               
"physical" was the appropriate wording.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE TARR reported that  she had discussed that wording                                                               
with  Legislative  Legal  Services  in an  attempt  to  carefully                                                               
select  the  language.    She explained  that  the  bill  drafter                                                               
believed that  adding "physical"  would help clarify  the intent.                                                               
She addressed  the built-in protections  in the  criminal justice                                                               
system, explaining that the police  would have to investigate and                                                               
feel  that  they found  sufficient  evidence  to prove  beyond  a                                                               
reasonable doubt  that a  crime had  occurred; further,  it would                                                               
have to get "screened in"  by the prosecutors.  Consequently, she                                                               
stated that many  of the "what if" scenarios would  never come to                                                               
fruition because of the built-in protections along the way.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE KAUFMAN asked  Mr. Skidmore to comment  on the use                                                               
of "physical" versus "actual" or some other adjective.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
MR. SKIDMORE  acknowledged that  in reading  Amendment 4,  he had                                                               
the same  concern about how to  differentiate "physical identity"                                                               
from "characteristics,  traits, or  accomplishments", as  some of                                                               
those could  be physical.   He suggested that "actual"  or "true"                                                               
could  be an  appropriate  replacement and  provide  the type  of                                                               
clarity that the committee was looking for.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
5:34:09 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE VANCE  believed that  the language in  Amendment 4                                                               
was getting  closer to capturing the  intent.  She asked  for the                                                               
bill   sponsor's  perspective   on   replacing  "physical"   with                                                               
"actual".   Additionally, she asked Mr.  Skidmore whether "actual                                                               
identity" would provide more flexibility for the prosecution.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
MR.  SKIDMORE was  unsure whether  it would  broaden opportunity.                                                               
He did, however, believe that it  would provide clarity as to the                                                               
committee and the sponsor's intent.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS  asked for Mr. Stinson's  perspective on the                                                               
relative  merits of  "actual" versus  "physical" and  the clarity                                                               
afforded by one versus the other.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
MR.  STINSON said  he could  understand the  tension with  either                                                               
word.   He shared his  understanding that the  legislative intent                                                               
was  to prevent  a  situation where  a  person was  impersonating                                                               
someone's  girlfriend, boyfriend,  spouse, significant  other, et                                                               
cetera.   He believed  that Amendment 4  was closer  to capturing                                                               
that intent;  however, he pointed  out that it could  still allow                                                               
for a situation  in which an individual  impersonated a celebrity                                                               
to  gain  consent to  engage  in  sexual relations  with  another                                                               
person.  Nonetheless, he noted  that there would still be obvious                                                               
protections  built  in  to  whether   that  would  get  reported,                                                               
charged, and so forth.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
5:39:59 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE   CLAMAN   suggested   allowing  more   time   for                                                               
Representative Vance and Representative  Tarr to discuss and come                                                               
to  an agreement  on the  issue  before moving  forward with  the                                                               
amendment.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
5:40:21 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  KREISS-TOMKINS announced  that  SSHB 5,  with Amendment  4                                                               
pending, with objection, was held over.                                                                                         

Document Name Date/Time Subjects
HB 163 Letter of Support - Continental Auto Group 4.11.21.pdf HSTA 4/27/2021 3:00:00 PM
HB 163
HB 163 Letter of Support - State Farm 4.22.21.pdf HSTA 4/27/2021 3:00:00 PM
HB 163
HB 163 Letter of Support - Alaska USA Federal Credit Union 04-12-2021.pdf HSTA 4/27/2021 3:00:00 PM
HB 163
HB 163 Letter of Support - True North FCU 4.9.21.pdf HSTA 4/27/2021 3:00:00 PM
HB 163
HB 163 Hearing Request - H STA 4.14.21.pdf HSTA 4/27/2021 3:00:00 PM
HB 163
HB 163 Sponsor Statement.pdf HSTA 4/27/2021 3:00:00 PM
HB 163
HB 163 Version A.PDF HSTA 4/27/2021 3:00:00 PM
HB 163
HB 163 Fiscal Note - DOA - DMV 4.10.21.pdf HSTA 4/27/2021 3:00:00 PM
HB 163
HB 163 Letter of Support - Alaska Credit Union League 04-09-2021.pdf HSTA 4/27/2021 3:00:00 PM
HB 163
HB 102 Fiscal Note - DOA 4.8.21.pdf HSTA 4/27/2021 3:00:00 PM
HB 102
HB 102 Response to Questions - DOA-DRM 4.13.21.pdf HSTA 4/27/2021 3:00:00 PM
HB 102
HB 157 Fiscal Note - DOA 4.9.21.pdf HSTA 4/27/2021 3:00:00 PM
HB 157
HB157 Additional Info - Response to STA 4.25.21.pdf HSTA 4/27/2021 3:00:00 PM
HB 157
HB 118 Letter of Support - UA UAF Lit Council 4.22.21.pdf HSTA 4/27/2021 3:00:00 PM
HB 118
HB 5 Fiscal Note - DPS 3.23.21.pdf HSTA 4/27/2021 3:00:00 PM
HB 5
HB 5 Letters of Opposition - 4.26.21.pdf HSTA 4/27/2021 3:00:00 PM
HB 5
HB 5 Fiscal Note - DOL 3.19.21.pdf HSTA 4/27/2021 3:00:00 PM
HB 5
HB 5 Letters of Support 4.26.21.pdf HSTA 4/27/2021 3:00:00 PM
HB 5
HB 5 Additional Info - Age and Offender Tabe for SAM 1 and SAM 2 - Tarr 4.22.21.pdf HSTA 4/27/2021 3:00:00 PM
HB 5
HB 5 Additional Info - Consent Tabular Analysis - Tarr 4.23.21.pdf HSTA 4/27/2021 3:00:00 PM
HB 5
HB 5 Additional Info - Felony Cases Filed with Sex Offense Charges - AK Court System 4.25.21.pdf HSTA 4/27/2021 3:00:00 PM
HB 5
HB 5 Additional Info - Felony Sex Offenses Report - Tarr 4.22.21.pdf HSTA 4/27/2021 3:00:00 PM
HB 5
HB 5 Fiscal Note - DOA 3.23.21.pdf HSTA 4/27/2021 3:00:00 PM
HB 5
HB 5 Fiscal Note - DOC 3.22.21.pdf HSTA 4/27/2021 3:00:00 PM
HB 5
HB 5 Amendment G.1 - Eastman 4.20.21.pdf HSTA 4/27/2021 3:00:00 PM
HB 5
HB 5 Amendment G.4 - Vance 4.26.21.pdf HSTA 4/27/2021 3:00:00 PM
HB 5
HB 5 Amendment G.5 - Vance 4.26.21.pdf HSTA 4/27/2021 3:00:00 PM
HB 5
HB 118 Amendment B.6 - Vance 4.19.21.pdf HSTA 4/27/2021 3:00:00 PM
HB 118
HB 5 Amendment G.6 - Tarr 4.27.21.pdf HSTA 4/27/2021 3:00:00 PM
HB 5