Legislature(2025 - 2026)BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
03/11/2025 03:30 PM Senate STATE AFFAIRS
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SB64 | |
| SB62 | |
| SB71 | |
| SB19 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | SB 62 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | SB 71 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | SB 19 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | SB 64 | TELECONFERENCED | |
SB 19-PRISONERS: ELECTRONIC DEVICE ACCESS/USE
4:27:29 PM
CHAIR KAWASAKI reconvened the meeting and announced the
consideration of SENATE BILL NO. 19 "An Act relating to the use
and possession of electronic devices by prisoners."
4:27:46 PM
SENATOR ROBERT MYERS, District Q, Alaska State Legislature,
Juneau, Alaska, sponsor of SB 19 introduced the following
legislation:
[Original punctuation provided.]
SB 19 was prompted by conversations with the Reentry
Coalitions, the Department of Corrections, and members
in the other body and has been around in some form for
nearly a decade now. It is intended to address some of
the main concerns in prisons and to help reduce
recidivism.
One of the main struggles that prisoners face is with
accessing education. Increasing the educational
opportunities available to prisoners can improve their
employment prospects following release and can
significantly reduce the likelihood of recidivism.
Allowing prisoners to access educational materials on
tablets could have a substantial impact on how many
gain honest employment rather than turning to a life
of crime.
The Department of Corrections supports SB 19 because
it reduces some of their administrative oversight
requirements and could lead to lower costs. Services
such as telemedicine and telephonic meetings with
counsel would reduce the burden on Corrections of
transporting prisoners and monitoring appointments.
With increased interest in rehabilitating prisoners
who will be released back into our communities,
tablets could provide a low-cost way to provide this
option to inmates. The reality is that most
incarcerated individuals will eventually be released,
so providing them with rehabilitative services while
they are in prison is a proactive attempt to make our
communities safer when they get released.
4:29:35 PM
SENATOR MEYERS continued:
These tablets are not intended to be a luxury for
prisoners; they facilitate connection to essential
services and resources that will help reduce
recidivism rates and promote safety on our
communities. These are services that we already
provide to prisoners but could be doing for lower
costs with the implementation of tablet programs.
While many services will still be offered in person,
providing tablets for prisoners would increase their
access to education and rehabilitation programs that
will hopefully result in lower recidivism and a safer
community for all of us, all at a lower cost than what
we currently provide these services for.
4:30:27 PM
ASHLYN BROOKS, Intern, Senator Robert Myers, Alaska State
Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, provided the sectional analysis for
SB 19:
[Original punctuation provided.]
SB 19 v. N- Sectional Analysis
PRISONER ACCESS TO COMPUTER/PHONE/TABLET
"An Act relating to the use and possession of
electronic devices by prisoners."
Section 1: Page 1, Lines 3-15; page 2, lines 1-31;
page 3, lines 1-20;
This section adds an exemption to the prohibition
against electronic devices for prisoners. It also adds
television show ratings to the list of banned movie
ratings.
Subparagraph (I) adds additional accepted uses for
electronic devices including use for rehabilitative
and case plan purposes, legal material access, health
care access, or another purpose identified by the
commissioner in regulation.
Subparagraph (4) adds language that prohibits
correctional centers from charging fess for electronic
device use.
Section 2: Page 3, Lines 21-27 This new section states
that electronic device services are meant to
supplement existing services not to replace existing
services to the extent practicable. Electronic devices
may not be used to replace in-person visitation.
Section 3: Page 3, Lines 28-31; page 4, line 1
This section adds clarifying language regarding the
applicability of the effective date.
4:32:36 PM
CHAIR KAWASAKI announced [invited] testimony on SB 19.
4:33:03 PM
TERI TIBBETT, Coordinator, Alaska Reentry Partnership (ARP),
Juneau, Alaska, testified by invitation on SB 19 and moved to
slide 3, Partners. She stated that their partners include eight
re-entry coalitions, community partners, that help with funding
and management, and state partners that help align strategies.
4:35:28 PM
MS. TIBBETT moved to slide 4 and 5, SB 19 Access to Digital
Technology in Prisons, and read the following:
[Original punctuation provided.]
• SB 19 removes a barrier in state law that restricts
inmates inside correctional facilities from utilizing
certain electronic devicessuch as computers or
digital tabletsfor improved access to rehabilitative
programming and activities.
• The Alaska Reentry Partnership supports efforts to
expand digital technology in prisons for vocational
training, education, treatment and recovery, reentry
planning, housing and employment assistance,
telehealth, peer support, faith-based, Tribal,
visitation, and more.
• Rehabilitative programming increases the likelihood
of success in the community after release. Successful
reentry means safer communities.
• In today's world, people need to be 'digitally
literate' for basic functioningto fill out an
applications, apply for a job, banking, communication,
and more. People who have been incarcerated for
decades need basic digital skills to function in
today's world.
• The Alaska Reentry Partnership supports DOC's
efforts to improve digital infrastructure to best
provide safe and secure access to telehealth, video
teleconferencing, closed circuit education channels,
digital tablets, computer labs, and more.
4:37:35 PM
MS. TIBBETT moved to slide 6, Offender Returning to
Incarceration Within 3 years of Release, and discussed the
decrease in the recidivism rate.
4:38:36 PM
MS. TIBBETT moved to slide 7, Alaska Re-entry Efforts, and noted
a few examples of actions taken that might have had an impact on
Alaska Reentry efforts.
4:39:26 PM
MS. TIBBETT moved to slide 8, Alaska Data, and recommended a
couple reports to look at for more information about recidivism
rates and Alaska's re-entry efforts.
4:39:52 PM
MS. TIBBETT moved to slide 9, National Research, and read the
following:
[Original punctuation provided.]
State-level incarceration rates are 23 percent lower
since 2008. "States are achieving these rates with
changes in policy and by increasing opportunities and
resources to support employment and connections to
behavioral health care and housing."
Report from the National Reentry Resource Center,
Council of State Governments Justice Center, Bureau of
Justice Assistance, 50 States,:1 Goal: Examining
State-Level Recidivism Trends om the Second Chance Act
Era (2021).
4:41:01 PM
DON HABEGER, Coordinator, Juneau Reentry Coalition, Juneau,
Alaska, testified by invitation on SB 19 and read the following:
[Original punctuation provided.]
The mission of the Juneau Reentry Coalition is to
promote strategies and engage in activities that serve
justice-involved individuals, reduce recidivism, and
improve community public safety. The coalition works
on barriers and gaps in community services that
inhibit successful reentry.
One barrier to success that the coalition has been
working on for several years is access to digital
technology while inside a Department of Corrections
facility.
Although the Department of Corrections provides
computer labs to help with digital literacy, recent
history demonstrates that interruptions to traditional
access methods are fragile. COVID and lab shutdowns
are examples. Yet, during this same time, releases
from incarceration continued.
Another quick example of current communication
barriers is when an individual uses the Securus system
to contact the Coalition Coordinator. If the
individual places the call collect and a coalition
coordinator is not available to accept the call, the
system will not allow the individual to leave a voice
message, breaking the communication chain and negating
any possibility of help.
One program that illustrates reentry success through
increased access to digital technology is The Last
Mile, which was piloted in
California's San Quentin more than ten years ago, and
is now in eight states.
The Last Mile delivers advanced technology focused
education such as programming and web development
through safe and secure digital stations. The
recidivism rate for The Last Mile graduates is less
than 4 percent. 75 percent of The Last Mile returning
citizens are gainfully employed - remarkable numbers.
Senate Bill 19 figuratively opens Alaska's prison
doors to opportunities such as pro-social visitation,
healthcare, and reentry planning. The Juneau Reentry
Coalition urges the Senate State Affairs Committee to
pass this much needed bill.
4:45:23 PM
MARSHA OSS, Coordinator, Fairbanks Reentry Partnership,
Fairbanks, Alaska testified by invitation on SB 19. She told a
relevant story and discussed two suggestions related to SB 19.
She said first, planning before reentry is critical digital
tools would help build transition plans, support staff
workflows, and allow applications to be ready before release.
She said the Fairbanks Reentry Coalition supports SB 19 and
DOC's push to expand tech access, enabling things like applying
for IDs, Medicaid, and peer support. Second, access to education
while incarcerated reduces recidivism, promotes mental well-
being, and gives hope for future success. Staff fully support
introducing digital tools and say it will help more inmates
complete GEDs and prepare for release.
4:51:30 PM
BARBARA MONGAR, Coordinator, Mat-Su Reentry Partnership, Palmer,
Alaska, testified by invitation on SB 19 and read the following:
[Original punctuation provided.]
I have been the coordinator for the Mat-Su Reentry
Coalition for the last five and a half years. Our
coalition consists of state agencies (such as the
Alaska Department of Labor and the Alaska Departments
of Corrections), community substance treatment centers
(such as Set Free Alaska and True North Recovery),
Mat-Su Health Services, Tribal Agencies, non-profit
and privet community service organizations. The close
community partnerships we have through our Reentry
Coalition has made it easier to provide wrap-around.
Our reentry case managers start the planning with
individuals releasing from incarceration at least 30
days prior to their release. The wrap-around services
our reentry case managers provide include
comprehensive goal and case planning, housing
supports, employment supports, parole/probation
supports, and referrals for substance and mental
health treatment.
4:52:37 PM
MS. MONGAR continued with his testimony:
Today, I am here representing the Mat-Su Reentry
Coalition in support of Senate Bill - 19. This bill
would help to remove barriers that restricts inmates
inside correctional institutions from utilizing
certain electronic devices- such as computers or
digital tablets- for improved access to rehabilitative
programming and activities. We also support DOC's
efforts to expand digital technology for vocational
training, education, treatment and recovery, reentry
planning, housing and employment assistance,
telehealth, peer support, faith-based, tribal,
visitation, and more while individuals are still
incarcerated.
Early access to services increases the likelihood for
individuals to successfully reintegrate into the
community once they are released from incarceration
and successful reentry means safer communities.
4:54:21 PM
CHAIR KAWASAKI [concluded invited testimony. He opened public
testimony on SB 19; finding none, he closed public testimony.]
4:55:07 PM
CHAIR KAWASAKI asked about the progress of the pilot program at
the Highland Mountain facility.
4:55:25 PM
MS. WINKLEMAN stated that the Department of Corrections is in
support of SB 19 and said the commissioner's office has found
the pilot program successful.
4:56:38 PM
CHAIR KAWASAKI asked how many units are currently in operations
and what kind of device access issues has the facility run into.
4:56:34 PM
BRANDON JONES, Superintendent, Highland Mountain Correctional
Center, Eagle River, Alaska, answered general questions about
the tablet pilot program at the Highland Mountain facility. The
facility has enough tablets for everyone, which currently houses
just over 300 people. He said the program is going well, the
facility is laying the groundwork by providing access to a
digital library, DOC policies, procedures, and the inmate
handbook. He stated that professional visits are done on
separate, non-recorded tablets, and the introduction of
electronic mail for friends and family has been very popular. He
said facility messaging allows staff to quickly share updates
with individuals or the whole population, such as changes to
meals or activities. He said the facility is also piloting a
digital system for requests and grievances, replacing the old
handwritten process with faster same day responses.
4:59:25 PM
SENATOR MYERS reiterated the commissioner's testimony.
5:00:15 PM
CHAIR KAWASAKI held SB 19 in committee.