01/20/2005 08:30 AM Senate JUDICIARY

                SB 19-CIVIL LEGAL SERVICES FUND                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
9:11:41 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR SEEKINS called  the meeting back to order and  noted that a                                                               
committee  substitute had  been distributed  to members,  labeled                                                               
version  G.  He  noted  that without  objection,  version  G  was                                                               
adopted as  the working  document before  the committee.  He then                                                               
explained that the  committee was looking at the  definition of a                                                               
low-income  individual yesterday.  He  pointed to  the bottom  of                                                               
version G  and said the  definition refers to an  individual with                                                               
an income  equal to or  less than  the maximum income  levels for                                                               
Alaska  determined   by  the   Legal  Services   Corporation.  It                                                               
references  42USC 2996(b).  He indicated  the  committee has  not                                                               
looked at an  effective date, nor did it address  how funds would                                                               
be  distributed,  as that  can  be  done  in the  Senate  Finance                                                               
Committee.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
9:13:25 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR HUGGINS asked if version  G creates a mechanism that does                                                               
not  make it  mandatory  for funding  or imply  that  it must  be                                                               
funded.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  SEEKINS  said that  is  correct;  it establishes  that  50                                                               
percent of  receipts from punitive  damages that go to  the state                                                               
can be used.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
9:13:59 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR THERRIAULT  did not  think the  bill needed  an immediate                                                               
effective date.  He asked  that Chair Seekins  work with  the co-                                                               
chairs  of the  finance committee  to make  sure the  language is                                                               
broad enough  to say that  any dollar  amount coming in  from the                                                               
punitive damage settlements will be  set aside into this fund. He                                                               
did not anticipate the fund to be  used as a funding source in FY                                                               
06, but rather that the money  be collected during FY 06 and used                                                               
in FY 07.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
9:15:13 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR FRENCH  pointed to a  technical correction that  needs to                                                               
be made by putting parentheses around the letter "b".                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR SEEKINS agreed.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
9:15:49 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR THERRIAULT moved CSSB 19(JUD),  version G, from committee                                                               
with individual recommendations.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  SEEKINS  announced  that  without  objection,  the  motion                                                               
carried.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
9:16:12 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR SEEKINS announced  that the Department of Law  would give a                                                               
review to the  committee on Tuesday and that he  was working with                                                               
Senator Dyson  to see  if his  legislation on  the constitutional                                                               
amendment for  a spending  limit would  be ready  to be  heard on                                                               
Wednesday. He then adjourned the meeting.