03/21/2025 01:00 PM House JUDICIARY

          HB 118-COUNCIL ON HUMAN AND SEX TRAFFICKING                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
1:06:05 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR GRAY  announced that the  first order of business  would be                                                               
HOUSE BILL  NO. 118,  "An Act establishing  the Council  on Human                                                               
and Sex Trafficking; and providing for an effective date."                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR GRAY opened public testimony on HB 118.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
1:06:34 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MIKE COONS,  representing self, testified  during the  hearing on                                                               
HB 118.   He spoke in  opposition to the "business  model" of sex                                                               
trafficking and its profitability.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
1:08:33 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
The committee took a brief at-ease at 1:08 p.m.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
1:08:41 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHRIS  DIMOND, Lead  Representative  for  Alaska, Western  States                                                               
Regional Council  of Carpenters, testified during  the hearing on                                                               
HB 118.   He suggested adding  a labor component to  the bill and                                                               
two seats for  labor representatives on the Council  on Human and                                                               
Sex Trafficking  ("the council")  to help guide  the conversation                                                               
and share their observations.   He said [human trafficking] hurts                                                               
local  workers, contractors,  and  the economy,  as  well as  the                                                               
victims themselves,  adding that  labor trafficking is  a genuine                                                               
problem in the construction industry.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
1:10:21 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MAXINE  DOOGAN,  President,  Community   United  for  Safety  and                                                               
Protection, testified in  opposition to HB 118.   She opined that                                                               
the  council was  handpicked to  promote a  false and  misleading                                                               
narrative about  forced labor in  the sex trade and  claimed that                                                               
sex  workers had  been systematically  excluded  from the  public                                                               
meetings.  She expressed concern  that the bill would not protect                                                               
the  community that  it intends  to serve  and expressed  concern                                                               
about inflating numbers in the sex worker industry for funding.                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
1:12:41 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
BRENDA STANFILL,  Executive Director, Alaska Network  on Domestic                                                               
Violence and Sexual Assault (ANDVSA),  testified in support of HB
.   She  spoke  to  the separation  of  the  council from  the                                                               
Council on Domestic  Violence and Sexual Assault  (CDVSA), as the                                                               
two  may overlap  on sex  trafficking but  differ with  regard to                                                               
human trafficking.   She explained  that the  network understands                                                               
the  importance  of  the  issue, supports  the  creation  of  the                                                               
council, and would  continue to engage in efforts  to further its                                                               
success.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
1:14:13 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR GRAY closed public testimony on HB 118.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
1:14:28 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
The committee took a brief at-ease at 1:14 p.m.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
1:14:48 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE VANCE in response  to testifiers, pointed out that                                                               
labor  trafficking  is  included   in  the  definition  of  human                                                               
trafficking: on  page 3, line 26,  a member of the  Department of                                                               
Labor &  Workforce Development  (DLWD) was  specifically included                                                               
to avoid  the exclusion of labor;  on page 3, line  30, it states                                                               
that the  governor may appoint members  of the public who  may be                                                               
representatives  of labor  organizations or  employers themselves                                                               
who have  experience with these  issues.  She further  noted that                                                               
the  bill  requires  quarterly   meetings  subject  to  the  Open                                                               
Meetings Act, which  would allow members of the  public to speak.                                                               
She  added  that by  establishing  the  council in  statute,  the                                                               
director would be enabled to  address concerns and interface with                                                               
anyone interested in the topic.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
[HB 74 was held over.]