03/18/2025 08:00 AM House COMMUNITY & REGIONAL AFFAIRS

            HB  58-OPA: PUBLIC ADVOCATE APPOINTMENT                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
8:05:42 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR MEARS announced  that the first order  of business would                                                               
be HOUSE  BILL NO. 58, "An  Act relating to the  office of public                                                               
advocacy; and relating to the public advocate."                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
8:06:08 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE ZACK  FIELDS, Alaska  State Legislature,  as prime                                                               
sponsor,  stated that  HB 58  would make  the appointment  of the                                                               
public advocate (PA)  analogous to the appointment  of the public                                                               
defender (PD).                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  HOLLAND said  he'd  received a  modest amount  of                                                               
input  and  much   support  on  the  efforts   to  harmonize  the                                                               
appointment processes.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
8:06:51 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR HIMSCHOOT  moved to report  HB 58 out of  committee with                                                               
individual  recommendations and  the  accompanying fiscal  notes.                                                               
There being  no objection, HB  58 was  reported out of  the House                                                               
Community and Regional Affairs Standing Committee.