05/04/2021 03:30 PM Senate COMMUNITY & REGIONAL AFFAIRS

           SB 81-VILLAGE PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICER GRANTS                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
3:32:24 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR HUGHES announced  the consideration of SENATE  BILL NO. 81,                                                               
"An  Act requiring  background investigations  of village  public                                                               
safety  officer applicants  by the  Department of  Public Safety;                                                               
relating  to  the  village public  safety  officer  program;  and                                                               
providing for an effective date."                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
[The committee adopted CSSB 81, version I, on 4/27/21.]                                                                         
3:33:03 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR WILSON joined the committee meeting.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
3:33:19 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR HUGHES opened public testimony on SB 81.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
3:33:51 PM                                                                                                                    
MOE ZAMARRON,  City Manager,  Unalakleet, Alaska,  stated support                                                               
for  SB  81 and  expressed  particular  support for  the  Village                                                               
Police Officer (VPO) program. He  related that because Unalakleet                                                               
is  a  very  small  community,  it does  not  attract  many  VPSO                                                               
applicants.  Therefore, VPOs  are used  fill these  positions. He                                                               
referenced talk about doing away  with the VPO program and warned                                                               
that  doing so  would make  recruitment much  more difficult.  He                                                               
said  the VPO  program  allows Unalakleet  to  provide a  quality                                                               
service  and he  believes  it  would be  beneficial  to have  VPO                                                               
funding added to  VPSO grants. He reiterated  his overall support                                                               
for the VPSO Program.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
3:35:29 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR HUGHES closed public testimony on  SB 81. She noted who was                                                               
available to  answer questions and  asked the sponsor's  staff if                                                               
she had any closing remarks.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
3:36:08 PM                                                                                                                    
BRIX HAHN, Staff, Senator Donny  Olson, Alaska State Legislature,                                                               
Juneau, Alaska, thanked the committee for hearing the bill.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
3:36:21 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR HUGHES asked the will of the committee.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
3:36:30 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  MYERS moved  to report  SB 81,  work order  32-LS0362\I,                                                               
from  committee  with  individual  recommendations  and  attached                                                               
fiscal note(s).