02/27/2025 08:00 AM House COMMUNITY & REGIONAL AFFAIRS
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB26 | |
| Presentation: Department of Corrections Overview | |
| Adjourn |
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | HB 35 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | HB 26 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
HOUSE COMMUNITY AND REGIONAL AFFAIRS STANDING COMMITTEE
February 27, 2025
8:04 a.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Rebecca Himschoot, Co-Chair
Representative Donna Mears, Co-Chair
Representative Carolyn Hall
Representative Ky Holland
Representative Mike Prax
MEMBERS ABSENT
Representative Justin Ruffridge
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
HOUSE BILL NO. 26
"An Act relating to the duties of the Department of
Transportation and Public Facilities; and relating to a
statewide public and community transit plan."
- HEARD & HELD
PRESENTATION: DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS OVERVIEW
- HEARD
HOUSE BILL NO. 35
"An Act relating to the use and possession of electronic devices
by prisoners."
- SCHEDULED BUT NOT HEARD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: HB 26
SHORT TITLE: STATEWIDE PUBLIC & COMMUNITY TRANSIT PLAN
SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) MINA
01/22/25 (H) PREFILE RELEASED 1/10/25
01/22/25 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
01/22/25 (H) CRA, TRA
02/27/25 (H) CRA AT 8:00 AM BARNES 124
WITNESS REGISTER
REPRESENTATIVE GENEVIEVE MINA
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: As prime sponsor, presented HB 26.
REMINGTON PURNELL, Staff
Representative Genevieve Mina
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Presented the sectional analysis for HB 26
on behalf of Representative Mina, prime sponsor.
ANDY MILLS, Legislative Liaison
Department of Transportation & Public Facilities
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Answered questions during the hearing on HB
26.
PATRICK REINHART, Executive Director
Governor's Council on Disabilities & Special Education
Department of Health
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Gave invited testimony during the hearing
on HB 26.
MILLIE RYAN, Board President
Alaska Mobility Coalition
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Gave invited testimony during the hearing
on HB 26.
JUDY CHAPMAN, Deputy Director
Division of Statewide Planning
Department of Transportation & Public Facilities
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Answered questions during the hearing on HB
26.
JEN WINKELMAN, Commissioner
Department of Corrections
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Co-offered the Department of Corrections
Overview presentation.
DUSTY DUMONT, Director
Division of Pretrial, Probation & Parole
Department of Corrections
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Co-offered the Department of Corrections
Overview presentation.
JEFF EDWARDS, Executive Director
Board of Parole
Department of Corrections
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Co-offered the Department of Corrections
Overview presentation.
KEVIN WORLEY, Director
Division of Administrative Services
Department of Corrections
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Co-offered the Department of Corrections
Overview presentation.
APRIL WILKERSON, Deputy Commissioner
Department of Corrections
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Answered questions during the Department of
Corrections Overview presentation.
ACTION NARRATIVE
8:04:28 AM
CO-CHAIR REBECCA HIMSCHOOT called the House Community and
Regional Affairs Standing Committee meeting to order at 8:04
a.m. Representatives Prax, Hall, Mears, and Himschoot were
present at the call to order. Representative Holland arrived as
the meeting was in progress.
HB 26-STATEWIDE PUBLIC & COMMUNITY TRANSIT PLAN
8:05:31 AM
CO-CHAIR HIMSCHOOT announced that the first order of business
would be HOUSE BILL NO. 26, "An Act relating to the duties of
the Department of Transportation and Public Facilities; and
relating to a statewide public and community transit plan."
8:05:50 AM
REPRESENTATIVE GENEVIEVE MINA, Alaska State Legislature, as
prime sponsor, presented HB 26. She paraphrased the sponsor
statement [included in the committee packet], which read as
follows [original punctuation provided]:
The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public
Facilities (DOT&PF) stewards the state's
transportation system as the lead body in developing
the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program
(STIP). HB 26 aims to support and secure accessible
transportation options for all Alaskans by improving
DOT&PF's public engagement process and broadening the
study of transportation options across the state.
First, HB 26 seeks to improve DOT&PF's public
engagement process in statewide transportation
planning. Sufficient collaboration with local and
regional entities is federally required to secure
funding for transportation and infrastructure
projects. HB 26 codifies this federal requirement by
specifying that DOT&PF must coordinate with public,
Tribal, and community transit programs in their
development of Alaska's comprehensive, long-range,
intermodal transportation plan (e.g., STIP). In this
case, these transit programs refer to programs such as
Nome's Tribal Transit Program, Juneau's Capital
Transit, Tok's Interior Alaska Bus Line, and
Anchorage's People Mover.
Second, HB 26 expands DOT&PF's responsibility to study
alternative transportation options by including rural
and remote areas. DOT&PF is statutorily responsible
for studying alternative means of transportation in
Alaska, but they are currently only required to study
urban areas. Alternative transportation methods, such
as public transportation, are essential for those
without a car and who cannot drive. According to a
2022 DOT&PF report on The Economic Value of Public
Transit in Alaska, Alaskan communities benefit from
transit due to increased business sales, reduction of
road congestion, less air pollution, and better travel
times.
Public transit is often the only transportation option
for Alaskans with disabilities, low-income Alaskans,
youth, and the elderly. Securing federal funding and
improving access to public and community transit is
essential to connect all Alaskans to their jobs and
communities. HB 26 improves the annual study,
reporting, and development of Alaska's multimodal
transportation network.
8:09:35 AM
REMINGTON PURNELL, Staff, Representative Genevieve Mina, Alaska
State Legislature, on behalf of Representative Mina, prime
sponsor, presented the sectional analysis for HB 26 [included in
the committee packet], which read as follows [original
punctuation provided]:
Section 1. AS. 44.42.020(a):
Amends subsections (3) and (4) in the Department of
Transportation and Public Facilities' planning duties
to "study alternative means of improving
transportation" and "develop a comprehensive, long-
range, intermodal transportation plan for the state"
by including public, tribal, and community transit
programs.
Amends subsection (5) to the Department's duty to
study alternative modes of transportation by adding
rural and remote areas to its scope, and requiring
coordination with local governments and tribal
entities in this process.
Adds subsection (17) which creates a new duty for the
Department to develop a statewide public and community
transit plan in coordination with local, community,
and tribal entities.
CO-CHAIR HIMSCHOOT sought questions from committee members.
8:10:45 AM
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX referred to the zero fiscal note and asked
what the bill plans to accomplish.
8:11:37 AM
ANDY MILLS, Legislative Liaison, Department of Transportation &
Public Facilities (DOT&PF), said the fiscal note describes
activities that the department already conducts, such as the
long-range transportation plan, area transportation plans, and
the statewide transit plan. He added that department staff
already have federal directives to consider all modes, so the
fiscal note reflects that these activities are largely being
accomplished already.
CO-CHAIR HIMSCHOOT opened invited testimony.
8:14:10 AM
PATRICK REINHART, Executive Director, Governor's Council on
Disabilities & Special Education, Department of Health (DOH),
gave invited testimony during the hearing on HB 26. He
emphasized the importance of public and community transportation
to people with disabilities and expressed his hope that the bill
would encourage a renewed focus on these issues. He spoke to
several problems facing the council, such as fewer numbers of
applicants and the failure to consider the influx of rural
transportation funds for starting new programs. He also
suggested that DOT&PF share information with impacted agencies
and partners, which in years past, was done via annual
conference.
8:19:08 AM
MILLIE RYAN, Board President, Alaska Mobility Coalition, gave
invited testimony during the hearing on HB 26. She emphasized
the importance of public transportation to many Alaskans and
applauded the bill for integrating community transportation into
the department's duties and for developing a five-year plan for
expanding transportation across the state.
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX pointed out that DOT&PF had stated that it's
already doing this work, and asked what the bill would change.
MS. RYAN acknowledged that the department's plans make reference
to community transportation and transit; however, there's no
specific plan that looks at community transportation in detail
and considers how to coordinate and expand the availability of
opportunities with community partners and providers. She shared
a personal anecdote about her experience in Oregon.
8:22:45 AM
REPRESENTATIVE HALL asked about the timeline for Section 17,
which creates a new duty for the department to develop a
statewide public and community transit plan in coordination with
local, community, and Tribal entities.
REPRESENTATIVE MINA deferred to Mr. Mills.
8:24:07 AM
MR. MILLS said different plans span different timeframes
dependent on the federal regulations. In general, there are 5-
year plans on the short side, as well as 10-year and 20-year
plans. He referred to AS 40.42, noting that many of the
articulated duties in HB 26 lack timeframes, and one would defer
to the federal program to set a timeframe or renew it as
frequently as needed.
8:26:09 AM
CO-CHAIR MEARS observed that the cost of owning a vehicle has
increased, which may increase the broader need for transport.
She asked whether data supports this observation.
REPRESENTATIVE MINA referred to a report conducted by DOT&PF in
May 2022 about the economic value of public transit in Alaska;
however, she was unsure whether it included statistics on the
cost of personal vehicles.
8:28:04 AM
REPRESENTATIVE HOLLAND asked for the bill sponsor's thoughts on
commuter rail options and how it might bring more attention to
what, right now, has been a citizen's advocacy process that
struggles to get standing in the broader transportation
planning.
REPRESENTATIVE MINA speculated that commuter rails may fall
under "alternative modes" and deferred the question to Mr.
Mills.
MR. MILLS agreed the "alternative modes" is broad enough and
would allow the department to look at a range of options without
being limited by statute, which is beneficial for planning
purposes, and would allow new modalities to be incorporated as
technology advances.
REPRESENTATIVE HOLLAND asked how these proposed changes might
strengthen the discussion about the Alaska Marine Highway System
(AMHS) and its integration as a transportation solution in rural
communities.
REPRESENTATIVE MINA shared her belief that AMHS is separate from
the definition of "transit planning."
MS. PURNELL agreed that AMHS is not included in the definition.
MR. MILLS confirmed that the planning authority for AMHS falls
under a different section of state statute.
8:33:55 AM
REPRESENTATIVE HOLLAND commented that with the separation of
boards and funding, the importance of AMHS to the transportation
infrastructure of Alaska is missed. He suggested that the bill
could be a vehicle for elevating the importance of transit to
rural coastal communities and the necessity of AMHS.
8:35:11 AM
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX said planning seems to be constrained by
federal funding. He asked whether the legislature should
consider including nonprofit organizations in the conversation.
REPRESENTATIVE MINA affirmed that public engagement with
nonprofits, such as the Alaska Mobility Coalition (AMC), and
other entities, like the Governor's Council on Disabilities and
Special Education, should be included. She cited page 3, lines
7-9, which stated that the development of a statewide transit
plan is done in cooperation with public community transit
operators, local government, communities, and Tribal entities.
She added that the inclusion of relevant stakeholders would be
considered a friendly amendment.
8:37:53 AM
CO-CHAIR HIMSCHOOT asked why the bill is needed.
REPRESENTATIVE MINA said to ensure that Alaska is modernizing
DOT&PF's responsibilities to reflect Alaskans' needs. She added
that the state would not want the department's positive work on
transit planning to go away if leadership or federal
requirements were to change.
MR. REINHART agreed on the importance of codifying DOT&PF's
planning efforts in statute to ensure that there are reasonable
expectations around the development of a public transit if
leadership were to change.
CO-CHAIR HIMSCHOOT asked how the bill would interface with
Tribal transportation plans.
REPRESENTATIVE MINA shared her understanding that the department
is federally required to coordinate with Tribal planning
organizations in its long-range transportation planning efforts,
such as the development of the Statewide Transportation
Improvement Program (STIP). She deferred to Mr. Mills for
further explanation.
8:42:00 AM
MR. MILLS confirmed that there is a "three C policy"
collaboration, coordination, and consultation that's federally
required of the department with regard to STIP. He added that
there is also a Tribal team in many areas of the department for
Tribal consultation on projects and planning activities.
CO-CHAIR HIMSCHOOT asked which highway number is assigned to
AMHS.
MR. MILLS answered M5 and M11. He emphasized that many
communities make a firm assertion that AMHS is a highway system
falling under Title 19, so as to avoid any exclusion of vehicle
transport on vessels. The department experienced pushback when
testing a supplemental service, which he likened to a bus
service because it only transported passengers, reinforcing the
philosophical viewpoint that AMHS is an extension of the road
system.
CO-CHAIR HIMSCHOOT asked Ms. Chapman how to best partner with
Tribes and whether the bill would change or augment anything
with regard to that government-to-government relationship.
8:45:41 AM
JUDY CHAPMAN, Deputy Director, Division of Statewide Planning,
Department of Transportation & Public Facilities (DOT&PF),
reiterated that Tribes are engaged with regularly through
consultation opportunities and monthly conference calls. She
said the intent is to fully engage with Tribes and involve them
in the statewide and transit planning processes as they are a
valuable stakeholder.
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX asked whether there are jurisdictional
issues that should be taken into consideration.
MR. MILLS responded that DOT&PF actively works on projects with
local nonprofit organizations (NPO) whose jurisdiction is
codified in federal regulation. With regard to transit
planning, conversations are had with the community transit grant
recipients, but these local governments have their own
committees on local transportation improvement plans (TIP), much
like the STIP for the state. He said he is not aware of any
jurisdictional issues.
CO-CHAIR HIMSCHOOT announced that HB 26 would be held over.
8:50:33 AM
The committee took an at-ease from 8:50 a.m. to 8:52 a.m.
[Co-Chair Himschoot passed the gavel to Co-Chair Mears.]
^PRESENTATION: Department of Corrections Overview
PRESENTATION: Department of Corrections Overview
8:52:07 AM
CO-CHAIR MEARS announced that the final order of business would
be the Department of Corrections Overview presentation.
8:52:46 AM
JEN WINKELMAN, Commissioner, Department of Corrections (DOC),
gave opening remarks and introduced her colleagues.
8:53:51 AM
DUSTY DUMONT, Director, Division of Pretrial, Probation &
Parole, Department of Corrections (DOC), gave an explanation of
the Division of Pretrial, Probation, and Parole, and its
pretrial and statewide services.
8:56:45 AM
JEFF EDWARDS, Executive Director, Board of Parole, Department of
Corrections (DOC), gave an explanation of the Board of Parole
and described discretionary parole, mandatory parole, special
medical parole, geriatric parole, and the Executive Clemency
Program.
9:05:18 AM
MR. EDWARDS, in response to a series of committee questions,
reported that the rate of revocations for discretionary parole
is 6 percent with the majority being mandatory releases brought
forward by the parole officer; before release, conditions of
parole are set by a board member and conveyed to the inmate in
advance of the hearing; parole conditions had been reviewed and
adjusted and new strategies were implemented; there is no
backlog of parolees and each has an eligibility date that is set
after sentencing; The Board of Parole meets for several days
each month depending on the size of the docket; board members
are compensated for travel, per diem, and receive honoraria
compensation for file review.
9:20:58 AM
KEVIN WORLEY, Director, Division of Administrative Services,
Department of Corrections (DOC), gave an explanation of the
Division of Administrative Services and its organizational
structure and duties.
9:23:52 AM
APRIL WILKERSON, Deputy Commissioner, Department of Corrections
(DOC), in response to committee questions, said the Alaska
Police Standard's Council (APSC) performs the background
investigation on all correctional officers and probation
officers and oversees APSC certification, psychological
evaluations, and medical screening.
9:26:03 AM
COMMISSIONER WINKELMAN resumed the presentation and gave an
explanation of the Office of the Commissioner and its
organizational structure and duties. In response to a series of
committee questions, she said DOC's training academy differs
from those provided to the Alaska State Trooper (AST) and
Village Public Safety Officers (VPSO), as they were established
to meet the requirements for correctional officers and pretrial,
probation, and parole officers; pretrial, probation, and parole
officers work hand in hand with VPSOs and Tribal police; there
are no specific staff assigned to process improvement, but
department heads are tasked with finding efficiencies; the
division has internal information technology (IT) that
specialize in criminal justice information
9:36:20 AM
COMMISSIONER WINKELMAN continued the presentation with an
overview of department vacancies, which fluctuate based on time
of year, and reported that the overall rate is 10 percent and
trending in the right direction. In response to committee
questions, she said recruitment bonuses and specific retention
incentives are used.
MS. WILKERSON added that DOC has provided educational
opportunities and advanced step placement for more difficult
locations. Letters of agreement (LOA) for hiring incentives
were primarily used for correctional officers who received a
bonus of $10,000 in two installments and medical staff who
received anywhere from $15,000 to $25,000. She noted that the
agreements included a repayment clause for those who left
employment before the two-year period. She added that another
successful component was allowing the recruitment unit to help
applicants through the process by providing onsite tours,
assistance with paperwork, and issuance of conditional job
offers. In Seward, a temporary duty assignment was offered,
which exposed employees to the environment and boosted interest
in the facility.
9:48:24 AM
COMMISSIONER WINKELMAN resumed the presentation with a summary
the department's three primary goals and objectives: health and
wellbeing of staff; ensuring that people leave the system better
than when they entered; and identifying resources to reduce
recidivism. She shared that DOC is on track to double the rate
of GED completions and expressed her hope that the tablet
program would engage inmates in programming and measure
efficiencies. In response to a question about food service, she
said inmates work in the kitchens and receive a stipend. She
talked about the Point Mackenzie rehabilitation farm, and a
desire to expand that.
9:56:12 AM
MS. WILKERSON added that the department is not burdened by the
statutory limit on the cost of food; however, maintaining the
cost of religious meal requirements can be a challenge.
9:58:37 AM
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committee, the House
Community and Regional Affairs Standing Committee meeting was
adjourned at 9:58 a.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| HB 26 Version A Sponsor Statement.pdf |
HCRA 2/27/2025 8:00:00 AM HCRA 3/18/2025 8:00:00 AM HCRA 3/20/2025 8:00:00 AM |
HB 26 |
| HB 26 Version A.pdf |
HCRA 2/27/2025 8:00:00 AM HCRA 3/18/2025 8:00:00 AM HCRA 3/20/2025 8:00:00 AM |
HB 26 |
| HB 26 Version A Sectional Analysis.pdf |
HCRA 2/27/2025 8:00:00 AM HCRA 3/18/2025 8:00:00 AM HCRA 3/20/2025 8:00:00 AM |
HB 26 |
| HB 26 Fiscal Note - DOT - PDSP 2.21.25.pdf |
HCRA 2/27/2025 8:00:00 AM HCRA 3/18/2025 8:00:00 AM HCRA 3/20/2025 8:00:00 AM SCRA 5/15/2025 1:30:00 PM |
HB 26 |
| HB 26 Testimony — Received as of 2.25.25.pdf |
HCRA 2/27/2025 8:00:00 AM HCRA 3/18/2025 8:00:00 AM HCRA 3/20/2025 8:00:00 AM |
HB 26 |
| HB 26 Research - CFR, Title 23, Chapter I, Subchapter E, § 450.218, Subsections (a)-(f).pdf |
HCRA 2/27/2025 8:00:00 AM HCRA 3/18/2025 8:00:00 AM HCRA 3/20/2025 8:00:00 AM SCRA 5/15/2025 1:30:00 PM |
HB 26 |
| HB 26 Research - 2024 AMC Legislative Priorities.pdf |
HCRA 2/27/2025 8:00:00 AM HCRA 3/18/2025 8:00:00 AM HCRA 3/20/2025 8:00:00 AM SCRA 5/15/2025 1:30:00 PM |
HB 26 |
| HB 26 Research - 2022 DOT&PF Study - Economic Value of Public Transit in Alaska.pdf |
HCRA 2/27/2025 8:00:00 AM HCRA 3/18/2025 8:00:00 AM HCRA 3/20/2025 8:00:00 AM SCRA 5/15/2025 1:30:00 PM |
HB 26 |
| Department of Corrections Overview 1.28.2025.pdf |
HCRA 2/13/2025 8:00:00 AM HCRA 2/27/2025 8:00:00 AM |
Department of Corrections |
| Department of Corrections Follow-up 1.28.25 HCRA Meeting 2.7.25.pdf |
HCRA 2/13/2025 8:00:00 AM HCRA 2/27/2025 8:00:00 AM |
Department of Corrections |