Legislature(2021 - 2022)BUTROVICH 205
03/03/2022 03:30 PM Senate STATE AFFAIRS
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SB145 | |
| SB136 | |
| SR3 | |
| HB157 | |
| SB115 | |
| SB161 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | SB 136 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | SB 152 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | SB 167 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 123 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| *+ | SR 3 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | SJR 20 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | SB 92 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | SB 145 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 157 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | SB 115 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | SB 161 | TELECONFERENCED | |
SB 115-ADDRESS CONFIDENTIALITY PROGRAM
4:22:49 PM
CHAIR SHOWER announced the consideration of SENATE BILL NO. 115
"An Act relating to confidentiality of information; relating to
the duties of the Department of Administration; creating an
address confidentiality program; and providing for an effective
date."
He stated that the bill was heard last year, public testimony
was heard and closed, and his intention was to move the bill
from committee. He asked the sponsor if he had any final
comments.
4:23:13 PM
JESSE KIEHL, Alaska State Legislature, Juneau Alaska, sponsor of
SB 115, recapped that the bill creates a safe confidential
address whereby a survivor of domestic violence, sexual assault,
or stalking may receive their mail without risk that their new
home address or post office box could be discovered by their
former abuser. This would also be available to law enforcement
and correctional officers who may want to protect their personal
addresses.
CHAIR SHOWER noted who was available to answer questions.
SENATOR REINBOLD said she likes the bill, but wanted him to know
that she intended to offer an amendment on the floor to ensure
that victims may be part of the hearing process if that is their
wish.
4:24:55 PM
SENATOR KAWASAKI asked whether the definition of "correctional
officer" in Section 4 would include anybody employed at a
correctional facility.
SENATOR KIEHL replied the intention was to include both state
and municipal correctional officers.
SENATOR KAWASAKI asked if that would include all staff positions
in a correctional facility.
SENATOR KIEHL replied the bill was drafted specifically to
include correctional officers whose primary duty is to provide
custody, care, security, control, and discipline. That matches
definitions in other sections of statute relating to
correctional officers and those are the individuals who have
expressed concern about the potential for retribution against
their families.
CHAIR SHOWER asked him to relay how many individuals this might
include.
4:26:37 PM
SENATOR KIEHL stated that his office looked at other states and
found that surprisingly few survivors of domestic violence,
sexual assault, and stalking took advantage of a similar option.
Mostly it was survivors who had decided to start over in another
place. Based on that data and adjusted for population, the
estimate is that this program may serve 400-600 survivors. Of
the more than 600 correctional officers who would qualify, most
likely will not choose this option because they have an online
presence of some kind and don't want to pick up and start their
lives somewhere else. He opined that it will be people early in
their public safety career who have heeded the advice to protect
their personal address and not create an online presence who
will choose this option.
4:28:25 PM
SENATOR HOLLAND asked for confirmation that the mail would not
be screened. Rather, the intention is merely to protect
information about survivors or correctional officers in the
program.
SENATOR KIEHL replied the bill gives the Department of
Administration (DOA) a lot of latitude to structure the program.
He was not aware of any state with a similar program that
screens the mail and it certainly is not opened. He added that
it is very common to only forward first class, registered, and
certified mail. Registered voters would receive their ballot but
not the campaign fliers.
SENATOR HOLLAND asked for confirmation that the mail would be
received and dispersed from a central point.
4:29:38 PM
SENATOR KIEHL replied his understanding is that other states
have a single, central post office box. Shared Services within
DOA already has a PO Box, but he didn't know if that box would
be used or an additional one opened. Nevertheless, all
participants would have the same PO Box and staff that run the
address protection program would sort and periodically forward
the first class, registered, and certified mail to the program
participants.
CHAIR SHOWER observed that the fiscal note is indeterminate
because the number of participants has not been established.
However, it will not be thousands, he said.
SENATOR KIEHL thank the committee for considering the bill.
CHAIR SHOWER solicited a motion.
4:30:39 PM
SENATOR REINBOLD moved to report SB 115, work order 32-LS0380\I,
from committee with individual recommendations and attached
fiscal note(s).
CHAIR SHOWER found no objection and SB 115 was reported from the
Senate State Affairs Standing Committee.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| support 6 letters.pdf |
SSTA 3/3/2022 3:30:00 PM |
SB 156 |
| SB 167opposition letter.pdf |
SSTA 3/3/2022 3:30:00 PM |
SB 167 |