04/08/2025 03:30 PM Senate STATE AFFAIRS

           SB  62-BOARD OF PAROLE: MEMBERSHIP, REPORT                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
3:53:34 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  KAWASAKI   reconvened  the   meeting  and   announced  the                                                               
consideration of  SPONSOR SUBSTITUTE FOR  SENATE BILL NO.  62 "An                                                               
Act  relating  to the  board  of  parole;  and providing  for  an                                                               
effective date."                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
3:53:56 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  LOKI  TOBIN,  District   I,  Alaska  State  Legislature,                                                               
Juneau,  Alaska, sponsor  of SB  62, provided  a brief  recap and                                                               
stated  that  the bill  proposes  reforms  to Alaska's  Board  of                                                               
Parole.  SB 62  expands the  number of  board seats  and reserves                                                               
positions for  individuals with  specific expertise,  including a                                                               
tribal  representative,  a  licensed physician,  psychiatrist  or                                                               
psychologist,  someone  with   drug  and  alcohol  rehabilitation                                                               
support experience, and  a victim of a crime or  part of a victim                                                               
advocacy group.  SB 62  also introduces  10-year term  limits for                                                               
board members,  along with new reporting  requirements to improve                                                               
accountability  and transparency.  SB 62  emphasizes that  parole                                                               
offers incarcerated  individuals hope and incentive  to engage in                                                               
treatment and rehabilitation. She  said that with Alaska spending                                                               
about  $73,000   annually,  about   $202  a  day   per  prisoner,                                                               
successful reintegration  through parole and  supportive services                                                               
benefits  both individuals  and  communities,  making the  system                                                               
more effective and cost-efficient.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
3:56:25 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR YUNDT asked how many  seats the board currently holds and                                                               
how many it would hold if SB 62 passed.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
3:56:35 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR TOBIN responded that the  current number of seats is five                                                               
and SB 62 would expand the board to seven seats.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
3:56:55 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR YUNDT asked how the current five seats are selected.                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
3:57:06 PM                                                                                                                    
LOUIE   FLORA,   Staff,   Senator  Loki   Tobin,   Alaska   State                                                               
Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, answered  a question regarding SB 62                                                               
and   stated   that   current   statute   requires   geographical                                                               
representation  by judicial  districts and  general knowledge  of                                                               
the criminal justice system for  Board of Parole members. The new                                                               
proposal adds more  specific criteria and limits  how many former                                                               
corrections officers may serve on the board simultaneously.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
3:57:58 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR KAWASAKI opened public testimony on SB 62.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
3:58:17 PM                                                                                                                    
CHRISTINA   FHADURA,   representing  self,   Anchorage,   Alaska,                                                               
testified in  support of SB  62 and  stated that this  bill would                                                               
improve  access  to  parole and  incentivize  rehabilitation  and                                                               
education  for incarcerated  individuals. She  said adding  board                                                               
seats allows for more diverse  perspectives enhancing the board's                                                               
cultural  responsiveness   and  ability  to   address  underlying                                                               
issues.  SB 62  is not  intended to  dismantle the  board but  to                                                               
share its  workload and ensure more  informed, balanced decisions                                                               
about reintegration into communities.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
4:00:08 PM                                                                                                                    
NICOLE  ZEGIESTOWSKY,   representing  self,   Anchorage,  Alaska,                                                               
testified in support of SB 62  to expand and diversify the Alaska                                                               
Board of Parole. She noted  that about 80 percent of incarcerated                                                               
Alaskans  experience  substance  use disorders  and  argued  that                                                               
adding a  board member  with expertise  in treatment  or recovery                                                               
would help the board make  more informed decisions. She said this                                                               
change  could  increase   successful  reentry  into  communities,                                                               
reduce   incarceration    rates,   and    ensure   rehabilitation                                                               
opportunities are  meaningful. She emphasized  that reintegration                                                               
is essential for true recovery  and endorsed updating the board's                                                               
composition to better reflect the population it serves.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
[CHAIR KAWASAKI closed public testimony on SB 62.]                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
4:02:11 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR KAWASAKI solicited the will of the committee.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
4:02:12 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  GRAY-JACKSON  moved to  report  SB  62, work  order  34-                                                               
LS0227\N,  from  committee  with individual  recommendations  and                                                               
attached fiscal note(s).                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
4:02:52 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR KAWASAKI found  no objection and SSSB 62  was reported from                                                               
the Senate State Affairs Standing Committee.