05/06/2022 10:30 AM House JUDICIARY

                    HB 325-DOMESTIC VIOLENCE                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
11:46:32 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR CLAMAN announced that the  final order of business would be                                                               
HOUSE BILL NO. 325, "An Act relating to domestic violence."                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR CLAMAN sought final comment from committee members.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
11:47:12 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE VANCE expressed concern  about classifying acts of                                                               
harassment, such as  revenge porn, as domestic  violence for fear                                                               
of minimizing [the  severity] of physical assault.   Ideally, she                                                               
said,  she would  want  to  create a  separate  section for  this                                                               
egregious  conduct; in  the meantime,  however, she  acknowledged                                                               
the  need to  provide a  tool for  individuals dealing  with this                                                               
type of harassment.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE EASTMAN said  he would be objecting  to passing HB
 from committee  because the bill would create a  new crime of                                                               
domestic violence for a non-violent act.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE KURKA  said he identified with  the remarks shared                                                               
by  the two  previous  speakers.   He  agreed  that revenge  porn                                                               
should be stiffly  penalized; however, he disagreed  with how the                                                               
bill classified the conduct as domestic violence.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
11:53:14 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  CLAMAN characterized  the  rates of  domestic violence  in                                                               
Alaska  as appalling.   He  expressed his  support for  the bill;                                                               
however,  he  cautioned the  legislature  from  viewing it  as  a                                                               
solution  to the  problem.   He opined  that there  would be  few                                                               
changes without changed behavior.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
11:54:56 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
The committee took an at-ease at 11:54 a.m.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
11:55:15 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR CLAMAN asked the bill  sponsor, on behalf of Representative                                                               
Vance, to speak to the intent of the bill.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
11:55:51 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  SARA  RASMUSSEN,  Alaska  State  Legislature,  as                                                               
prime sponsor,  explained that with the  prevalence of electronic                                                               
images and  revenge porn,  the state needed  a tool  for Alaskans                                                               
experiencing  this   type  of  domestic  violence   to  obtain  a                                                               
restraining  order against  the perpetrator.   She  expressed her                                                               
hope  that   the  cases  would   be  handled  seriously   by  law                                                               
enforcement without overextending  resources from cases involving                                                               
physical violence.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
11:57:09 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE DRUMMOND moved  to report HB 325  out of committee                                                               
with  individual  recommendations  and  the  accompanying  fiscal                                                               
notes.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE EASTMAN objected.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
11:57:57 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
A roll  call vote  was taken.   Representatives  Vance, Drummond,                                                               
and  Claman voted  in favor  of HB  325.   Representative Eastman                                                               
voted against  it.   Therefore, HB  325 was  reported out  of the                                                               
House Judiciary Standing Committee by a vote of 3-1.