04/25/2024 01:30 PM Senate FINANCE

SENATE BILL NO. 28                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     "An  Act  relating  to  workplace  violence  protective                                                                    
     orders;   relating  to   the  crime   of  violating   a                                                                    
     protective order;  relating to  the powers  of district                                                                    
     judges  and  magistrates;  amending  Rules  4  and  65,                                                                    
     Alaska  Rules of  Civil Procedure,  and Rule  9, Alaska                                                                    
     Rules   of  Administration;   and   providing  for   an                                                                    
     effective date."                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
1:54:54 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator Merrick MOVED to ADOPT the committee substitute for                                                                     
SB 28.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
1:55:12 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
KEN ALPER, STAFF, SENATOR DONNY OLSON, explained the CS. He                                                                     
referred to the Summary of Changes (copy on file):                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
     Change  1 Clarifies  that an  employer may  file for  a                                                                    
     workplace   violence  protective   order  if   violence                                                                    
     against  the  employer  or  employee  occurred  at  the                                                                    
     workplace or if there is  a threat of violence that may                                                                    
     be  carried  out  at   the  workplace.  This  addresses                                                                    
     concerns  that the  previous version  granted employers                                                                    
     access  to  workplace  violence  protective  orders  in                                                                    
     instances  of  violence   that  were  not  specifically                                                                    
     related to the workplace.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
     Change 2 Removes  the ability of an employer  to name a                                                                    
     designated employee  on a protective order  and to have                                                                    
     any provisions of the protective  order applied to that                                                                    
     employee. This ensures that  employers are empowered to                                                                    
     file  for  a  workplace violence  protective  order  to                                                                    
     protect their  workplace, but an  employer is  not able                                                                    
     to extend the protections into  the personal life of an                                                                    
     employee.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
1:56:41 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR MATT CLAMAN, SPONSOR, supported the CS.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
1:57:01 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CLAIRE LUBKE, STAFF, SENATOR CLAMAN,  stated that she agreed                                                                    
with the changes.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Olson OPENED and CLOSED public testimony.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
1:57:14 PM                                                                                                                    
AT EASE                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
1:57:52 PM                                                                                                                    
RECONVENED                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Senator Merrick  MOVED to REPORT  SB 28 from  committee with                                                                    
individual  recommendations,  and   attached  fiscal  notes.                                                                    
There being NO OBJECTION it was so ordered.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
SB  28 was  REPORTED OUT  of  committee with  one "do  pass"                                                                    
recommendation, four "no  recommendations"; three previously                                                                    
zero fiscal notes: FN 4(LAW),  FN 5(DPS), and FN 7(AJS); and                                                                    
three previously  published fiscal impact notes:  FN 2(ADM),                                                                    
FN 3(ADM), and FN 6(DPS).