Legislature(2021 - 2022)GRUENBERG 120
02/17/2022 03:00 PM House STATE AFFAIRS
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB291 | |
| HB37 | |
| SB25|| HB86 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | HB 291 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 37 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | SB 25 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | HB 86 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
HB 291-EXTENDING COUNCIL ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
3:05:50 PM
CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS announced that the first order of business
would be HOUSE BILL NO. 291, "An Act extending the termination
date of the Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault; and
providing for an effective date."
3:06:17 PM
REPRESENTATIVE TARR, prime sponsor of HB 291, introduced the
legislation. She paraphrased the sponsor statement, which read
as follows [original punctuation provided]:
HB 291 extends the termination date of the Council on
Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault (CDVSA) until
June 30, 2028, in accordance with the recommendation
of the Legislative Auditor.
The CDVSA serves an important public service by
developing, implementing, and maintaining Alaska's
domestic violence, sexual assault, and crisis
intervention/prevention programs in conjunction with
authorities in the field, supporting public employers
to provide education programs, coordinating DV/SA
intervention/prevention programs provided by DEED,
DPS, DOC, DHSS, and the Department of Law, creatin
DV/SA training programs and standards, and dispensing
funds related to services and programs that serve
survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence.
REPRESENTATIVE TARR discussed the audit report on the Council on
Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault (CDVSA) [included in the
committee packet] and highlighted the council's primary
functions on page 1.
3:11:32 PM
CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS welcomed invited testimony.
3:11:48 PM
KRIS CURTIS, Legislative Auditor, Division of Legislative Audit,
presented the audit report conclusions, which read as follows
[original punctuation provided]:
The audit concluded that the council generally
operated in the public's interest by funding and
monitoring Alaskan domestic violence and sexual
assault programs and prevention activities. The
council served as the central coordinator for related
services throughout the state, conducted meetings in
accordance with council bylaws, effectively met most
statutory duties, and did not duplicate the efforts of
other entities.
The audit also concluded that the council should
improve document retention, access to the Battering
Intervention Program database, and timeliness of
annual report submission and regulation changes.
In accordance with AS 44.66.010(a)(5), the council is
scheduled to terminate June 30, 2022. We recommend the
legislature extend the council's termination date six
years, to June 30, 2028.
3:16:00 PM
REPRESENTATIVE CLAMAN believed that there may be a management
problem at CDVSA after reading the four recommendations from the
legislative auditor. He asked if that was accurate.
MS. CURTIS said she would not consider "bad management" an
issue. She reviewed the four recommendations and provided
additional context.
3:18:51 PM
REPRESENTATIVE CLAMAN, referring the fourth recommendation,
opined that improving access to the Battering Intervention
Program (BIP) should have been made a priority for the CDVSA.
He believed that in itself was a reflection of management
challenges. He said he agreed with the recommendations made by
the legislative auditor and had no problem with the six-year
extension; however, he maintained his belief that there was a
need for management improvements.
3:20:37 PM
REPRESENTATIVE VANCE turned attention to page 29 of the audit,
which outlined the first recommendation. She asked Ms. Curtis
to opine on the council's plan to reduce the volume and depth of
the annual report in order to meet the bylaws and statutory
requirements.
MS. CURTIS pointed out that the old annual reports were
extremely extensive. She said it would be a policy call as to
whether a more concise report would meet the legislature's need.
She added that, in terms of timeliness, she understood why the
council made the decision to reduce the volume.
REPRESENTATIVE VANCE asked whether the annual report was viewed
by the Department of Public Safety (DPS) or utilized by other
government agencies.
MS. CURTIS was unsure of who used it. She noted that the
auditors tested the annual report to ensure that it met
statutory minimums.
3:23:06 PM
REPRESENTATIVE EASTMAN inquired about the nature of the
vacancies [within the council].
MS. CURTIS said that detail was not included in the audit
report.
REPRESENTATIVE EASTMAN asked how extensively the financials were
audited.
MS. CURTIS directed attention to page 9 and clarified that
financials were unaudited. She explained that the council's
finances were received from management and cited as such.
3:24:34 PM
REPRESENTATIVE CLAMAN asked whether unaudited financial
information was a typical practice.
MS. CURTIS said sunset audits did not touch the financial
information.
3:25:42 PM
BRENDA STANFILL, Executive Director, Alaska Network on Domestic
Violence & Sexual Assault (ANDVSA), discussed the CDVSA and its
importance. She explained that the ANDVSA relied on the council
to hold public hearings and commission studies; monitor funds to
victim service agencies; ensure program compliancy; department
coordination; inform the administration; and hold strategic
plans. She opined that the Alaska Mental Health Trust and the
Alaska Native population were both underrepresented on the
council. She urged the committee to extend the CDVSA's
termination date until 2028.
3:34:19 PM
REPRESENTATIVE EASTMAN inquired about the vacancies that had
been referenced earlier.
MS. STANFILL deferred to Diane Castro.
REPRESENTATIVE CLAMAN acknowledged Ms. Stanfill's continued work
on the issue of domestic violence.
3:35:00 PM
CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS inquired about the interrelationship
between the CDVSA and ANDVSA and asked how the two organizations
differ. He sought to confirm that the CDVSA primarily played a
funding role while ANDVSA primarily played a coordination role.
MS. STANFILL answered yes, adding that the council was
responsible for coordination as well.
CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS inquired about the victimization study,
which Ms. Stanfill had mentioned in previous testimony.
MS. STANFILL discussed the victimization study, which tracked
rates of domestic violence and sexual assault. She noted that
the entire study could be found on the University of Alaska
Anchorage (UAA) Justice Center's website.
REPRESENTATIVE CLAMAN noted that the study was also referenced
in the annual report from the Alaska Criminal Justice
Commission.
CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS inquired about the strategy around
prevention and asked how prevention-related programming was
being approached.
MS. STANFILL emphasized the importance of identifying each
community's "readiness." She reviewed the strategic approach
being taken, which involved close work with community
coalitions, media outreach, and various programs and violence-
prevention strategies. Additionally, she highlighted the Green
Dot program, which was focused on bystander intervention.
3:42:50 PM
CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS asked how research was approached in terms
of efficacy.
MS. STANFILL shared her understanding that it involved surveying
children and parents and tracking additional information. She
offered to follow up with additional specifics.
CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS asked whether that was generally
accomplished via prevention programs.
MS. STANFILL answered no. She explained that other prevention
programs were evidence based, meaning rigorous studies had been
performed initially to determine the efficacy.
CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS sought to confirm that Ms. Stanfill was
referring to Green Dot.
MS. STANFILL said yes, in addition to Coaching Boys Into Men or
Girls On The Run.
3:44:35 PM
REPRESENTATIVE CLAMAN asked who ran Coaching Boys Into Men.
MS. STANFILL said it was the Alaska School Activities
Association (ASAA).
REPRESENTATIVE CLAMAN inquired about the pro bono legal services
program offered by ANDVSA and whether it was funded by CDVSA.
MS. STANFILL discussed the legal program, called the Pro Bono
Attorney Project, which was the only direct service program to
victims. She noted that the core funding was provided through
the Stop Grant.
3:48:47 PM
REPRESENTATIVE EASTMAN referenced the alarming statistics
pertaining to domestic violence and sexual assault in Alaska and
asked whether they had improved.
MS. STANFILL believed that overall, an upward trajectory was
being made.
CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS asked whether there was a country that was
regarded for a relative scarcity of domestic violence.
MS. STANFILL did not know the answer. She offered to follow up.
3:53:41 PM
REPRESENTATIVE EASTMAN inquired about staffing issues and asked
whether they were resolved or ongoing.
3:53:51 PM
DIANE CASTRO, Executive Director, ANDVSA, reported that staffing
had been a struggle for two years. She believed that the
staffing issue was pandemic-related in part. She discussed
funding, grant agreements, and the technical work that went on
behind the scenes to highlight the difficulty of losing three
staff members, which wouldn't normally seem significant.
3:59:42 PM
REPRESENTATIVE EASTMAN asked when Alaska would see a significant
reduction in the high rates of domestic violence and sexual
assault.
MS. CASTRO discussed the continuum of services. She reported
that 80 percent of grant funding went towards victims' services,
5-7 percent to prevention, and 1-2 percent to perpetrator
rehabilitation. She believed that significant progress would
not be made until prevention and perpetrator services were fully
addressed; further, she emphasized the importance of changing
belief systems about domestic violence if generational change
were to happen.
4:05:26 PM
CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS announced that HB 291 was held over.