03/29/2025 01:00 PM House STATE AFFAIRS

         HB 35-PRISONERS: ELECTRONIC DEVICE ACCESS/USE                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
1:03:48 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR CARRICK announced that the  next order of business would be                                                               
HOUSE BILL NO. 35, "An Act  relating to the use and possession of                                                               
electronic  devices by  prisoners."   [Before  the committee  was                                                               
CSHB 35(CRA).]                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
1:04:24 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  HIMSCHOOT, as  sponsor,  presented CSHB  35(CRA),                                                               
which  would set  guidelines and  policy to  allow department  of                                                               
corrections  to obtain  and regulate  tablets  computers for  the                                                               
incarcerated population.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
1:04:55 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR CARRICK opened public testimony on CSHB 35(CRA)                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
1:05:11 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
BOBBY DORTON, Consultant, Healing  Homes, testified in support of                                                               
HB  35.   Drawing  on  his lived  experience  as an  incarcerated                                                               
person, he  stated that he didn't  have the tools to  be educated                                                               
and get good  employment or a career before he  was released.  To                                                               
further  illustrate his  point, Mr.  Dorton stated,  "I did  have                                                               
McDonald's waiting  for me and I  did ... wash dishes,  but I had                                                               
to fund ... the credentials once I  got out.  I was really hoping                                                               
for those credentials  while I was in."  While  he was eventually                                                               
able  to start  a  new  life for  himself  as  a substance  abuse                                                               
counselor  and found  Healing  Homes, a  firm  which brings  peer                                                               
support  and case  management  to  various organizations  serving                                                               
individuals  within the  criminal justice  system throughout  the                                                               
U.S., Mr. Dorton further discussed  the lack of opportunities for                                                               
incarcerated persons, stating  that he could have  had a master's                                                               
degree upon  release rather  than being a  dishwasher.   His main                                                               
point for  supporting the bill  was stated  when he said,  "If we                                                               
could just help  the guys to have a purpose,  they'll get out and                                                               
be better  people."  He  further stated  that if inmates  did not                                                               
have access to obtain the  skills, training, and credentials they                                                               
would need  to succeed  when released,  Alaska would  risk losing                                                               
such  people "in  the  wind,"  causing inmates  to  do labor  and                                                               
"other  things," whereas  he believed  their passion  for helping                                                               
others is  inside them and  they could  follow such a  passion if                                                               
given the chance  to do so.  Instead, Mr.  Dorton argued, many of                                                               
these individuals are getting locked into a labor workforce.                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
1:08:36 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR CARRICK, after ascertaining that  there was no one else who                                                               
wished to testify, closed public testimony on CSHB 35(CRA).                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
1:08:48 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR CARRICK asked if there were further questions.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
1:08:54 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE VANCE  thanked both  the chair  and Representative                                                               
Himschoot for  carrying the proposed legislation,  which has been                                                               
through the  legislature many  times and  deals with  things that                                                               
are not  easy issues.   She emphasized the  need to look  at many                                                               
things  regarding  how  incarcerated  people  will  succeed  upon                                                               
release.   She  said  that  the changes  in  CSHB 35(CRA)  appear                                                               
reasonable and  the committee  in drafting  this bill  was giving                                                               
the  commissioner  of the  Department  of  Corrections a  lot  of                                                               
authority    in   the    distribution   of    tablet   computers.                                                               
Representative  Vance   stated  that   some  of   her  colleagues                                                               
expressed the reservation  of wanting to ensure  that tablets are                                                               
used   for  rehabilitative   education   and  not   entertainment                                                               
purposes.  Representative Vance  elaborated that this was because                                                               
the  conversation around  CSHB 35(CRA)  mimics discussions  about                                                               
good use cases  with phones and tablets regarding  children.  She                                                               
and stated,  "We want what's best  for everyone when it  comes to                                                               
... utilizing the  technology in a positive way, and  not ... one                                                               
that's  going  to  pull someone  into  isolation...and  unhealthy                                                               
activities."   Representative Vance  stated that  she appreciates                                                               
the opportunity to  learn more about how "we can  help people re-                                                               
enter ...  our communities in  a more positive and  healthy way."                                                               
She said that  she hopes this year  will be the year  to get CSHB
(CRA) "over  the finish  line" and  thanked her  colleagues for                                                               
their work on the issue over the years.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
1:10:59 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  HIMSCHOOT  expressed   thanks  to  Representative                                                               
Vance  for  her   work  on  CSHB  35(CRA)  and   echoed  many  of                                                               
Representative  Vance's talking  points  by saying,  "It's not  a                                                               
simple bill.   We don't  want to rush it,  but it has  been heard                                                               
several times,  and it would be  nice if we could  get it through                                                               
this year."                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
1:11:19 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR CARRICK announced that CSHB 35(CRA) was held over.