03/05/2024 03:00 PM House STATE AFFAIRS

             SB 12-ADDRESS CONFIDENTIALITY PROGRAM                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
3:16:59 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR SHAW announced that the next  order of business would be CS                                                               
FOR SENATE  BILL NO. 12(JUD), "An  Act relating to the  duties of                                                               
the   Department   of   Administration;   creating   an   address                                                               
confidentiality program; and providing for an effective date."                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
3:17:14 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR JESSE KIEHL, Alaska State  Legislature, as prime sponsor,                                                               
paraphrased  from   the  sponsor   statement  [included   in  the                                                               
committee packet],  which read  as follows  [original punctuation                                                               
provided]:                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     SB  12  creates  an   address  protection  program  for                                                                    
     victims of sexual assault  and domestic violence, peace                                                                    
     officers   and   correctional   officers,   and   their                                                                    
     families.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
     Alaska is one  of only nine states without  any form of                                                                    
     address  protection  program.  They are  so  widespread                                                                    
     because they  are essential. A person  needs an address                                                                    
     to  vote, drive,  work, send  children  to school,  and                                                                    
     much  more. When  that  address shows  up  in a  public                                                                    
     record,  an Alaskan  seeking safety  from a  stalker or                                                                    
     abuser  faces unnecessary  danger.   So  do Alaska  law                                                                    
     enforcement   professionals   who   face   threats   of                                                                    
     retribution.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
     An address  protection program  gives those  Alaskans a                                                                    
     tool to stay safe.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
     Under SB  12, the  state would keep  a Post  Office Box                                                                    
     and  confidentially forward  mail  to  Alaskans with  a                                                                    
     protective  order,  public  safety  professionals,  and                                                                    
     their families. Victims and  those protecting our state                                                                    
     deserve the chance to live safely.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR KIEHL made note that  the Department of Public Safety has                                                               
informed him  that this  bill may  have opened  a loophole  in an                                                               
unrelated program,  and he plans  to work with the  department to                                                               
clear it up.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
3:19:47 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE CARRICK asked for some examples of the problem.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
3:20:22 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR KIEHL  told a  story of  a constituent  who had  moved to                                                               
Alaska to escape  an abusive situation.  She utilized  a P.O. Box                                                               
to prevent  creating a public  record of  her home address.   One                                                               
day, she saw her abuser at the post  office.  This is one of many                                                               
examples of  people who move  to restart  their lives to  avoid a                                                               
dangerous  situation  and struggle  to  do  so without  protected                                                               
addresses.  He emphasized the  importance of creating legislation                                                               
that creates safe opportunities for people in need.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
3:21:58 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
KEELEY OLSON, Executive Director,  Standing Together Against Rape                                                               
(STAR),  described her  experience using  address confidentiality                                                               
tools  in  Washington state  where  she  previously worked  in  a                                                               
victims'  advocate   confidentiality  program.     Combined  with                                                               
comprehensive  safety planning  and  emergency relocation  plans,                                                               
the address confidentiality program  saved lives.  These programs                                                               
are available  in 40  states nationwide.   She explained  that in                                                               
Washington, the  program was available even  without a protective                                                               
order  in  place.    She  appreciated  the  inclusion  of  public                                                               
officers in  the program listed  under CSSB 12(JUD).   She stated                                                               
STAR's support of the proposed legislation.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
3:24:32 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE ALLARD asked  if anyone could use  the program for                                                               
their own privacy.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  KIEHL pointed  to page  3, line  3 of  CSSB 12(JUD)  and                                                               
explained that  a protective order  is not necessary  to qualify.                                                               
More specifically, he responded that  the cost would prohibit any                                                               
and every Alaskan from utilizing the  program.  He noted it would                                                               
also create  a significant inconvenience  for Alaskans  who don't                                                               
need  the  program  and  mentioned   delays  in  receiving  mail.                                                               
Despite those inconveniences, this  program is essential to those                                                               
who  are trying  to safeguard  their lives  and their  children's                                                               
lives.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
3:26:52 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR SHAW announced that CSSB 12(JUD) was held over.