01/19/1994 01:36 PM House FIN

  HOUSE BILL NO. 195                                                           
                                                                               
       "An Act authorizing  youth courts  by which to  provide                 
       for  peer adjudication  of  minors  who have  allegedly                 
       committed  violations  of  state  or  municipal   laws,                 
       renaming the community legal assistance  grant fund and                 
       amending the purposes for which grants may be made from                 
       that fund in order to  provide financial assistance for                 
       organization and initial operation of youth courts, and                 
       relating to young adult advisory panels in the superior                 
       court."                                                                 
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE SITTON spoke  in support  of CSHB 195  (JUD).                 
  He provided members with a  sponsor statement and summarized                 
  his  remarks (copy on  file).  He noted  that CSHB 195 (JUD)                 
  has received wide support.  He explained that the bill would                 
                                                                               
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  establish the creation of youth courts  in Alaska.  The bill                 
  would  allow  nonprofit  corporations,   municipalities  and                 
  Native corporations to apply for  a one time matching  grant                 
  of $5,000 thousand  dollars.   Defendants and their  parents                 
  must agree to allow the Youth Court to hear the case and the                 
  Youth Court must  accept jurisdiction.  The  community legal                 
  assistance  grant  fund  would  be  amended to  provide  for                 
  juvenile justice grants  to establish  and organize a  youth                 
  court program.  He stress the Anchorage Youth Court has been                 
  successful.                                                                  
                                                                               
  JOHN EALEY,  PRESIDENT, ANCHORAGE YOUTH COURT  testified via                 
  the teleconference network from Anchorage, in support of the                 
  legislation.  He stressed the success of the Anchorage Youth                 
  Court.                                                                       
                                                                               
  Mr. Ealey explained that all  misdemeanors and most felonies                 
  committed by juveniles could be handled by youth courts.  He                 
  noted that violent felonies such as  rape and murder are not                 
  handled by youth courts.   The intake officers at McLaughlin                 
  Youth  Center  in  Anchorage  recommend   which  first  time                 
  offenders are referred  to the Youth  Court.  Crimes  waived                 
  into an adult court would not be  referred to a youth court.                 
  The  Anchorage  Youth Court  is  funded 100  percent through                 
  volunteer and private donations.                                             
                                                                               
  Representative Brown referred to section 2.                                  
                                                                               
  PAULA TERREL,  STAFF, REPRESENTATIVE  SITTON explained  that                 
  section 2 was added to allow revision to the statutes.                       
                                                                               
  ARTHUR H. SNOWDEN, II, ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTOR, ALASKA COURT                 
  SYSTEM added that  the statute  change reflect that  funding                 
  for juvenile intake is an executive branch function.                         
                                                                               
  Co-Chair MacLean asked if  regional or village  corporationS                 
  would  be eligible  for the  juvenile justice  grants.   Ms.                 
  Terrel thought that they would be eligible.                                  
                                                                               
  Representative Parnell asked if there would be a savings  to                 
  the Alaska Court System if the legislation is enacted.                       
                                                                               
  Mr. Ealey estimated that the Anchorage Youth Court has saved                 
  the  state $200 thousand dollars.   Mr. Ealey explained that                 
  youth courts are  diversion programs.  No jail  or detention                 
  time would be  incorporated into  penalties issued by  youth                 
  courts.                                                                      
                                                                               
  Co-Chair Larson recommend that on page 1, line 1, "by which"                 
  be deleted for clarification of the title.                                   
                                                                               
  Representative Foster MOVED to Delete on page 1, line 1, "by                 
                                                                               
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  which."  There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered.                        
                                                                               
  Representative Navarre MOVED to report CSHB 195 (FIN) out of                 
  Committee  with  individual  recommendations  and  with  the                 
  accompanying fiscal notes.  There being NO OBJECTION, it was                 
  so ordered.                                                                  
                                                                               
  CS HB 195  (FIN) was reported  out of Committee  with a  "do                 
  pass"  recommendation  and   a  zero  fiscal  note   by  the                 
  Department of  Community and  Regional Affairs;  and a  zero                 
  fiscal note by the Department of Health and Social Services.