02/09/2024 01:30 PM House JUDICIARY

                HB 161-CIVIL LEGAL SERVICES FUND                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
1:33:24 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR VANCE announced  that the first order of  business would be                                                               
HOUSE BILL  NO. 161,  "An Act relating  to appropriations  to the                                                               
civil legal services fund."                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR VANCE opened public testimony on HB 161                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
1:33:51 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHRISTINE  PAIGHT, Legal  Program Director,  Council on  Domestic                                                               
Violence And Sexual  Assault (CDVSA), testified in  support of HB
.  She  understood that there is an  enormous continuing unmet                                                               
need  for  Alaskans to  access  civil  legal assistance  and  few                                                               
agencies, in  addition to the  Alaska Legal  Services Corporation                                                               
(ALSC) to provide this service.   In the criminal justice system,                                                               
there is a  right to council; however, there  is no corresponding                                                               
right  in the  civil justice  system.   She  reported that  civil                                                               
legal services are the most  important service to ending domestic                                                               
violence  and sexual  assault because  civil legal  attorneys are                                                               
the ones  who can  get spousal  support, child  support, property                                                               
division, and  more.   She shared a  personal anecdote  and urged                                                               
the committee to pass HB 161.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
1:40:36 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
JEANNE  GERHARDT-CYRUS, representing  self, testified  in support                                                               
of  HB  161.     She  said  the  bill  would   help  people  with                                                               
disabilities gain services, maintain  employment, and ensure that                                                               
they  get the  benefits  they  need to  be  full  members of  the                                                               
community.   It would also  benefit low-income individuals.   She                                                               
posited that  people who need  this service and cannot  afford it                                                               
should not  face a disadvantage  in the  court room.   ALSC would                                                               
help level the playing field, she said.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
1:42:56 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MARY RUTH  MOORE, representing self,  testified in support  of HB
.   She  shared  that  ALSC helped  her  and  her children  by                                                               
extending a  domestic violence protection order,  getting custody                                                               
and visitation  during the divorce,  helping with  trust accounts                                                               
after  encountering  carbon  monoxide  poisoning,  enforcing  her                                                               
father's  will, and  restoring medical  benefits.   She advocated                                                               
for the increase in funding.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
1:44:37 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
TRAUDL  HACKLEY, representing  self, testified  in support  of HB
.    She  shared  her  experience  seeking  a  divorce  and  a                                                               
protective order  against her then  husband.  She said  with help                                                               
from her  ALSC attorney,  she obtained  full-time custody  of her                                                               
boys,  a   long-term  protective   order,  and   instruction  for                                                               
supervised  parenting time  with their  dad.   She described  the                                                               
process of gaining representation through  legal aid as a lengthy                                                               
and competitive process.  She urged a "yes" vote on HB 161.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
1:47:55 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
JOHN  PETERSON, representing  self,  testified in  support of  HB
.                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
[Due  to  technical  difficulties,  portions  of  the  audio  are                                                               
indiscernible.]                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
1:50:30 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR VANCE  closed public  testimony on HB  161.   She announced                                                               
that the bill would be held over.