03/14/2007 01:30 PM House FINANCE

HOUSE BILL NO. 77                                                                                                             
     "An Act relating to marriage brokers and advertisers                                                                       
     and to dating and social referral services."                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE BETH  KERTTULA, sponsor, explained  that HB 77                                                                   
requires  that   marriage  brokers  provide   information  to                                                                   
foreign nationals  who are seeking  to marry Americans.   The                                                                   
purpose it  to overcome domestic  violence issues  related to                                                                   
such marriages.   Representative  Kerttula reported  that she                                                                   
is  working  with  the  Department   of  Public  Safety,  the                                                                   
Department of Law, and the Department  of Commerce, Community                                                                   
and  Economic  Development  on this  bill  and  a new  CS  is                                                                   
forthcoming.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
3:43:23 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative Stoltze  noted problems on both  sides of such                                                                   
marriages.  He spoke of potential  for fraud.  He wondered if                                                                   
information should be required of the potential recruit.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Representative Kerttula  said she knows of no  fraud or abuse                                                                   
cases like that, however, there  are many documented cases of                                                                   
domestic  violence toward  foreign nationals.   She  spoke of                                                                   
limited jurisdiction, language  issues, and lack of knowledge                                                                   
about culture.  Representative  Stoltze maintained that there                                                                   
are victims on both sides.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Kerttula thought  there  might be  a need  to                                                                   
look into that.  Representative  Stoltze spoke to traditional                                                                   
matchmaking from  various cultures.  Representative  Kerttula                                                                   
reported   that   this   bill    addresses   businesses   and                                                                   
corporations     rather    than     religious     traditions.                                                                   
Representative  Stoltze  voiced   concern  about  sanctioning                                                                   
questionable matchmaking.  Representative  Kerttula wanted to                                                                   
limit the bill to corporate issues.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
3:49:49 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Chenault  asked  about  fiscal  note  #1  from  the                                                                   
Department of  Public Safety.   He asked about  a requirement                                                                   
of educating each  potential bride in their  native language.                                                                   
Representative   Kerttula  thought   it   would  be   written                                                                   
information, the cost of which  would be borne by the client.                                                                   
She related  that lawsuits  regarding false information  have                                                                   
been based on contract  law.  She noted an attempt  to get to                                                                   
zero fiscal impact notes.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair   Chenault  asked   about  obtaining   fingerprints.                                                                   
Representative Kerttula reported  working satisfactorily with                                                                   
DPS  on that  matter.    Co-Chair  Chenault asked  about  the                                                                   
definition  of "clients".   Representative  Kerttula  replied                                                                   
that  clients  are  the  Americans who  go  to  the  marriage                                                                   
broker;   mostly  men.     Co-Chair   Chenault  wondered   if                                                                   
background information  would be  requested from  the foreign                                                                   
nationals.  Representative Kerttula  explained jurisdictional                                                                   
reach problems.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
3:53:22 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
HB  77   was  heard  and   HELD  in  Committee   for  further                                                                   
consideration.