02/12/2025 01:30 PM Senate JUDICIARY

        SB  69-SEXUAL ASSAULT EXAMINATION KITS/TRACKING                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
1:30:59 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR CLAMAN  announced the consideration  of SENATE BILL  NO. 69                                                               
"An   Act   relating   to  sexual   assault   examination   kits;                                                               
establishing the sexual assault  examination kit tracking system;                                                               
and providing for an effective date."                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR CLAMAN  said this  is the  second hearing of  SB 69  in the                                                               
Senate Judiciary  Committee. He invited the  Department of Public                                                               
Safety to make comments on SB 69.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
1:31:39 PM                                                                                                                    
JAMES  COCKRELL,  Commissioner,   Department  of  Public  Safety,                                                               
Anchorage,  Alaska, stated  SB 69  is  an important  bill to  the                                                               
people of Alaska  and extremely important to  survivors of sexual                                                               
violence. He  expressed hope that SB  69 will make it  across the                                                               
finish line this year.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
1:32:23 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR CLAMAN opened public testimony on SB 69.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
1:32:53 PM                                                                                                                    
LAUREE  MORTON,  Deputy  Director,  Alaska  Network  on  Domestic                                                               
Violence and  Sexual Assault (ANDVSA), Juneau,  Alaska, testified                                                               
in  support  of  SB  69 and  offered  the  following  paraphrased                                                               
personal remarks:                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
MS. MORTON  stated, speaking  in her  own words  and not  that of                                                               
ANDVSA, if sexual  assault forensic exam kits  had been available                                                               
in years past, along with a  way to track them independently, she                                                               
would  have been  thankful.  She emphasized  that  when a  person                                                               
commits sexual assault, they take  more than just a forced sexual                                                               
experience.  She described  additional  losses  and traumas  that                                                               
survivors endure, such as:                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
- The fundamental right to self-determination over one's body.                                                                  
- How and when one's body is touched.                                                                                           
- The physical invasion of the being.                                                                                           
- The crushing of the spirit.                                                                                                   
- The  stripping of every fiber  of control over what  happens to                                                               
  oneself.                                                                                                                      
- The alteration of the essence of self.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
MS.  MORTON  explained  that in  the  mind-numbing  days,  weeks,                                                               
months after an  attack, life somehow goes on.  The survivor does                                                               
not want to  be a burden to  anyone. People in the  system are so                                                               
busy and  it feels  like an  intrusion to  ask for  anything. One                                                               
feels a heightened sense of not  wanting to be intrusive. So, the                                                               
survivor sits and wonders, lashes out  and wonders, acts as if it                                                               
did not happen, and wonders. She  expressed how she could see how                                                               
Track-Kit  may  be  a  Godsend  to  those  who  catch  themselves                                                               
thinking about  it at 11:00  p.m. or  3:00 a.m. It  is technology                                                               
used in a  way to bring comfort, some semblance  of autonomy back                                                               
into a life.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MS. MORTON  expressed appreciation that the  bill would establish                                                               
in statute  a victim's right to  access and track their  kit. She                                                               
expressed   appreciation  for   the  governor's   suggestions  to                                                               
streamline processing and improve  the kits  movement through the                                                               
system.  She said  any effort  that reduces  the processing  time                                                               
while maintaining accuracy is valuable.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
MS. MORTON expressed appreciation to the committee for:                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
-  Its work  to  better the  lives of  those  who suffer  through                                                               
   sexual assault crimes.                                                                                                       
- Its consideration of ways to improve the system.                                                                              
- Allowing  survivors to  have more agency  over what  happens to                                                               
   them and creating a space where it happens with them.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
MS. MORTON expressed gratitude for the committees support.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
1:35:56 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR CLAMAN closed public testimony on SB 69.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
1:36:05 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR CLAMAN invited Commissioner Cockrell an opportunity to                                                                    
make final comments on SB 69.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
1:36:18 PM                                                                                                                    
COMMISSIONER COCKRELL expressed gratitude to the committee for                                                                  
hearing SB 69. He emphasized the importance of this bill to DPS                                                                 
and to those who have been victimized. SB 69 is a step forward.                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
1:37:27 PM                                                                                                                    
At ease.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
1:37:53 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR CLAMAN reconvened the meeting and announced the amendment                                                                 
deadline along with other committee housekeeping matters.