Legislature(2017 - 2018)GRUENBERG 120
04/20/2017 03:00 PM House STATE AFFAIRS
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB235 | |
| HB11 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | HB 11 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| += | HB 235 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 125 | TELECONFERENCED | |
HB 235-NORTH STAR MEDAL
3:09:58 PM
CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS announced that the first order of business
would be HOUSE BILL NO. 235 "An Act creating the North Star
Medal."
3:10:26 PM
JAKE METCALFE, Executive Director, Public Safety Employees
Association (PSEA) Local 803, testified that PSEA Local 803
represents 800 state municipal police department employees
working throughout Alaska; membership includes the Alaska State
Troopers (AST), Anchorage and Fairbanks airport police officers
and firefighters, Alaska Court System (ACS) officers, Alaska
deputy fire marshals, and Ketchikan, Sitka, Juneau, Fairbanks,
Soldotna, Dillingham, and Unalaska police department employees.
He mentioned that many PSEA members are trained as Search and
Rescue (SAR) professionals.
MR. METCALFE relayed that in the past four years, PSEA
tragically lost four members in acts of valor and heroism:
trooper Tage Toll died in a helicopter accident in March 2013
rescuing a stranded snowmobiler; long time AST troopers Scott
Johnson and Gabe Rich were murdered in May 2014 protecting the
people of Tanana, Alaska; and Sergeant Allen Brandt of the
Fairbanks Police Department (FPD) lost his life in October 2016
protecting the people of Fairbanks. He stated that prior to
2013, PSEA lost other members in similar tragic situations. He
said that over time, Alaska has lost many police and fire first
responder heroes.
MR. METCALFE offered his support for recognizing the bravery and
valor of Alaska's lost heroes through the proposed legislation.
He asserted that all four officers he mentioned had in common
the fact that they ran toward danger to help and protect
Alaskans. He maintained that other Alaska peace officers,
firefighters, emergency medical technicians (EMTs), and SAR
professionals demonstrate the same duty and responsibility every
day. Their acts of bravery, valor, and service for their fellow
citizens deserve recognition and honor. He expressed his belief
that the proposed legislation would convey that honor to the
surviving spouse, the survivors, coworkers, and citizens of
Alaska.
3:13:57 PM
BRANDY JOHNSON testified that her husband, Scott Johnson, was
murdered on May 1, 2014, while in the performance of his job as
Sergeant with AST. She shared that after Scott's death, she
received many great gifts but was perplexed about how each gift
was to help her with her grief. She offered that she came to
realize that most of these gifts brought comfort to the givers
and some brought comfort to her family; and she became more
accepting of the gifts and glad that she was helping other
people with their grief. She stated that on the urn with her
husband's ashes, sits the Alaska state flag. She said, "These
are some of the most cherished items nobody wants to have." She
maintained that over time one realizes the thoughtfulness that
went into the gifts and honors.
MS. JOHNSON stated that the most important action by the state
is to take care of the officer's surviving family; it is the
fiduciary duty of the state after the ultimate sacrifice. She
maintained that if providing the surviving family and/or officer
with a medal to recognize that officer's oath and extraordinary
efforts on behalf of the State of Alaska brings one small
measure of comfort, then she supports the idea. Ms. Johnson
offered to recommend a process to the committee and the
Commissioner of the Department of Public Safety (DPS) on proper
presentation of the North Star Medal to next of kin if HB 235
becomes law.
3:16:40 PM
CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS, after ascertaining that there was no one
else who wished to testify, closed public testimony on HB 235.
3:17:09 PM
STEPHANIE GILARDI, Staff, Representative Jonathan Kreiss-
Tomkins, Alaska State Legislature, presented Amendment 1, which
read:
Page 1, line 5, following "officer,":
Insert "correctional officer,"
MS. GILARDI stated that Amendment 1 is a technical amendment
being offered by the bill's sponsor upon advice of Legislative
Legal and Research Services. She relayed that the intent is to
include correctional officers in the group eligible for the
North Star Medal. Because correctional officers are included
only in the Title 39 definition of peace officers and not in the
Title 1 definition of peace officers, the forthcoming amendment
would clear up any confusion by listing correctional officers in
HB 235, thereby making their inclusion explicit.
3:17:55 PM
REPRESENTATIVE JOSEPHSON moved to adopt Amendment 1, labeled 30-
LS0816\D.1, Martin, 4/18/17. There being no objection,
Amendment 1 was adopted.
3:18:45 PM
REPRESENTATIVE TUCK relayed that through contact with the
Department of Military & Veterans' Affairs (DMVA) he learned
that DMVA has 15 different ways of honoring members of the
organized militia of the State of Alaska. He maintained that
the proposed legislation would create a "Purple Heart" for state
rescuers and first responders. He asked if there was any
limitation on the definition of "first responder."
3:20:02 PM
MS. GILARDI replied that she understood this group to include
law enforcement, SAR, and EMTs but does not know if it includes
any individual who might respond.
REPRESENTATIVE TUCK referred to the Automatic Identification
System (AIS) tracking system described during a [Marine Exchange
of Alaska (MXAK)] presentation in the House Special Committee On
Arctic Policy (4/20/17). Using this system, a vessel in the
vicinity could be notified and come to the rescue of a vessel in
distress, even though the rescuing vessel is not the U.S. Coast
Guard (USCG) or AST. He asked if the committee wanted to put
limitations on the definition of a first responder, or if
someone coming to the rescue of another ship might be considered
a first responder under HB 235.
3:21:00 PM
CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS suggested that the definition of "first
responder" gives the commissioner of DPS "wiggle room" to
include individuals as needed. He pointed out that the Alaska
Medal of Heroism has traditionally been awarded to ordinary
Alaskans who insert themselves into a situation in which someone
is in need; in the past, that has been the appropriate award in
such a scenario; however, the commissioner may use his
discretion under the proposed legislation.
REPRESENTATIVE TUCK relayed a scenario: a car hits a powerline;
first responders cannot remove the person from the car until the
linemen show up to safely remove the energized line. He
expressed his hope that the proposed legislation would include
the linemen in the definition of first responders; they are not
acting as "Good Samaritans" but it is their job.
3:22:57 PM
REPRESENTATIVE BIRCH stated that he supports HB 235. He said
his inclination is that the medal would be more directed toward
the traditional first responders - firefighters and EMTs - but
agrees there should be flexibility for the commissioner of DPS
and the governor to use their discretion in choosing the
recipient.
3:23:53 PM
REPRESENTATIVE JOSEPHSON moved to report HB 235, as amended, out
of committee with individual recommendations and the
accompanying zero fiscal note. There being no objection, CSHB
235(STA) was reported out of the House State Affairs Standing
Committee.