Legislature(2025 - 2026)BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
04/08/2025 03:30 PM Senate STATE AFFAIRS
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| Confirmation Hearing(s) Alaska Police Standards Council | |
| SB62 | |
| SB126 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| += | SB 62 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | SB 126 | TELECONFERENCED | |
SB 126-CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES; PLACEMENT
4:04:48 PM
CHAIR KAWASAKI reconvened the meeting and announced the
consideration of SENATE BILL NO. 126 "An Act relating to
correctional facilities; relating to the authority of the
commissioner of corrections to designate the placement of
prisoners; and requiring the Department of Corrections to
estimate and report certain cost savings."
4:05:45 PM
SENATOR YUNDT sponsor of SB 126 introduced the bill, it directs
the Department of Corrections (DOC) to explore two cost-cutting
measures. He explained that the first measure involves
consolidating facilities with high vacancy rates to reduce
budget expenses. He added that the bill also authorizes the
commissioner to revisit the option of housing inmates in out-of-
state facilities, specifically those with seven or more years
left to serve. This would involve a public process with the
legislature and DOC. He emphasized that any savings from these
measures should support education in Alaska, describing SB 126
as a necessary and difficult starting point for a compassionate
and fiscally responsible solution.
4:07:33 PM
RYAN MCKEE, Staff, Senator Rob Yundt, Alaska State Legislature,
Juneau, Alaska, provided the sectional analysis for SB 126:
[Original punctuation provided.]
Sectional Analysis
SB 126
Section 1 AS.33.30.061 adds new subsections to section
1.
Section (e) would grant the Commissioner the ability
to investigate cost reductions by either consolidating
existing facilities or designating placement of a
prisoner at an out-of-state facility.
Section (f) clarifies that any prisoner that is sent
out of state shall be housed exclusively apart from
prisoners who are not residents of the state.
Section (g) requires the state to estimate the cost
savings annually, resulting from actions taken under
section (e) of this section. It also allows the
legislature to appropriate an amount equal to the
annual cost savings estimate for education purposes.
4:09:25 PM
SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI asked if the Department of Corrections
(DOC) has a position on SB 126.
4:09:29 PM
JEN WINKELMAN, Commissioner, Department of Corrections (DOC),
Juneau, Alaska, answered questions regarding SB 126. She replied
no, it is a policy decision by legislature and that Alaska law
already permits sending prisoners out of state through contracts
when necessary. While SB 126 adds further provisions, she
emphasized that the department would carry out the legislature's
direction.
4:10:09 PM
SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI asked how many inmates have seven or more
years remaining to serve in prison.
4:10:34 PM
MS. WINKLEMAN answered that, as of Monday, there are 792 inmates
with seven or more years remaining.
4:10:45 PM
SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI asked how many of the 792 inmates are
incarcerated for violent crimes.
MS. WINKLEMAN answered 778 inmates.
SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI asked which violent crimes were most
committed among the 778 incarcerated.
MS. WINKELMAN replied the incarcerations were primarily for
crimes against a person and sex offences.
SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI asked for the average rate of occupancy in
Alaska prisons.
MS. WINKELMAN answered that 81 percent is the actual inmate to
bed ratio. She stated that the operating running percentage is
about 95. She explained that inmate population numbers are
critical because specialized populations, such as co-defendants,
victims, gang members, and different genders must be kept
separate. Once a housing module fills with such inmates, beds
for the general population may become unavailable. She said as a
result, the facility is effectively operating at about 95
percent capacity, and she emphasized the importance of making
the legislature and public aware of this operational reality.
SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI asked what factors have contributed to the
recent decrease in the prison population, given that the DOC
experienced overcrowding a few years ago.
4:12:51 PM
MS. WINKELMAN answered that the DOC had projections to hit
capacity by 2027 and would need to build a new facility or send
inmates out of state but covid happened, law changes, pre-trial
services came on board and the numbers have remained stagnant.
The DOC did see an influx of population at the end of 2019 after
House Bill 49 passed. She said when covid hit the inmate
population maintained.
SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI asked for an estimate of potential cost
savings if the state were to investigate and transfer prisoners
with seven or more years remaining for violent crimes to out-of-
state facilities.
MS. WINKLEMAN answered that she did not have a current estimate
of cost savings but noted that in 2019, before reopening Palmer
Correctional Center, the daily cost of care per inmate was just
under $100. She emphasized that additional costs- such as
transportation, parole hearings, and ensuring proper separation
of inmates in out-of-state facilities, would be considered.
SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI asked what the average cost per day is to
house an inmate in Alaska compared to other states.
MS. WINKLEMAN answered that the cost to house an inmate in
Alaska is $202 a day.
SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI asked for the cost at a contracted out of
state prison.
MS. WINKLEMAN answered that when the DOC sent inmates out of
state previously the cost of care in Alaska was $176, the out of
state cost of care was a little under $100.
4:16:29 PM
SENATOR GRAY-JACKSON asked how much DOC's budget has grown in
the last six years.
4:16:56 PM
KEVIN WORLEY, Director, Corrections, Division of Administrative
Services, Juneau, Alaska, answered a question regarding SB 126.
She replied that he didn't have an answer and would get back
with the committee.
4:17:09 PM
SENATOR GRAY-JACKSON asked for the wage of the highest-paid
correctional officer over the past three years.
4:17:19 PM
MS. WINKLEMAN replied that she doesn't know.
4:17:29 PM
SENATOR GRAY-JACKSON requested that follow-up information
include a breakdown of salary, retirement, and other benefits to
determine the total compensation.
4:17:42 PM
SENATOR GRAY-JACKSON asked when correctional officers' work
overtime is it at the rate of 1.5 times the hourly rate or
double.
4:17:55 PM
MS. WINKLEMAN. answered currently overtime is 1.5; it was double
time when DOC had a Leave of Absence (LOA) in place.
4:18:07 PM
SENATOR GRAY-JACKSON asked when Alaska last housed inmates in
another state.
4:18:16 PM
MS. WINKLEMAN answered that the inmates were gradually returned
to Alaska with the phased opening of Goose Creek Correctional
Center between 2012 and 2014. She said the state still uses out-
of-state placements for certain inmates, such as those needing
specialized medical care or who cannot be safely housed in
Alaska. Currently, there are maybe six prisoners held out of
state, though the exact number would be confirmed.
SENATOR GRAY-JACKSON asked which states Alaska previously
contracted with to provide this service.
MS. WINKLEMAN replied that Alaska previously had contracts to
house inmates in Colorado and Arizona.
4:19:36 PM
CHAIR KAWASAKI recounted the history of Goose Creek Correctional
Center, which was established through legislative action and
bonding to address the need to return 1,000 out-of-state inmates
back to Alaska. The facility opened gradually between 2012 and
2014. While more expensive, the goals were to house inmates in-
state and keep them closer to their families. He asked for
clarification about the six out-of-state inmates, including
whether the inmates are there for medical or other reasons. He
also asked about the types of out of state facilities used
(private or publicly funded), the frequency of sending inmates
out of state, and whether Alaska ever receives inmates from
other states.
4:21:12 PM
MS. WINKLEMAN replied that transferring inmates in and out of
state is easy to do because of an interstate compact where
Alaska works with other states. She stated her belief that the
facilities are all public.
4:21:43 PM
CHAIR KAWASAKI stated that the committee wants to study more
about the costs of out-of-state housing.
4:22:05 PM
SENATOR YUNDT asked if there are facilities currently used to
house inmates not owned by the state and possibly leased from
another community.
4:22:22 PM
MS. WINKLEMAN answered that west side of the Anchorage facility
is owned by DOC, the east side of the Anchorage facility is
owned by the municipality of Anchorage. She said all other
facilities are owned by the state.
4:22:56 PM
SENATOR YUNDT requested a list of deferred maintenance issues
for each facility, whether state-owned or leased, and
clarification on whether maintenance responsibility during a
lease falls on the state or the owning community.
4:23:29 PM
CHAIR KAWASAKI asked about total available beds and whether
transferring inmates to other facilities is possible, especially
for long-term stays, and how movement is managed. He asked how
pre-trial facilities operate in Fairbanks.
4:24:21 PM
MS. WINKLEMAN replied that the DOC continuously transfers
inmates daily to maintain safety and manage capacity. While an
entire housing unit isn't typically occupied by one inmate,
factors like gender distribution, custody level, court hearings,
and separation needs can leave beds unused. A classification
unit oversees these factors to determine inmate placement and
movement. She noted that the unsentenced population has now
dipped slightly below the sentenced population. She said most
facilities house some unsentenced inmates, though Goose Creek
was not designed for that purpose. As a result, inmates are
frequently moved from Goose Creek for court hearings or to
manage space, such as moving individuals from Fairbanks to other
facilities to free up beds for those with upcoming hearings.
4:26:36 PM
SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI asked whether the Department of Corrections
sees any opportunities for budget cuts or savings, given the
state's $677 million deficit and declining oil revenues. He
noted that difficult decisions are required in the coming years.
4:27:13 PM
MS. WINKLEMAN replied that the department is constantly
searching for savings but has not found major areas to cut
without risking public safety. She emphasized that DOC often
absorbs the downstream effects of broader policy decisions and
must balance cost concerns with protecting staff, inmates, and
the public.
4:28:09 PM
SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI asked if the department has considered
reorganizing or restructuring prisons to lower cost.
4:28:28 PM
MS. WINKLEMAN explained that while DOC does not have a broad
strategic plan for efficiency, it makes daily operational
adjustments, such as expanding video court access to reduce
transport needs. She noted that facility use is constantly
reassessed to adapt to changing inmate populations, but larger
planning will depend on upcoming judicial changes that could
significantly impact the system.
4:30:12 PM
SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI asked for the average level of education of
prisoners.
4:30:25 PM
MS. WINKLEMAN guessed that the average level of education was
high school dropout.
SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI compared the high cost of housing inmates
($202 per day, about $73,730 annually) to education spending,
noting it is less than 10 percent per student, and asked whether
higher education levels reduce the likelihood of committing
crimes.
MS. WINKLEMAN. responded yes.
4:31:21 PM
SENATOR GRAY-JACKSON asked what percentage of the inmates are
confirmed gang members.
4:31:35 PM
MS. WINKLEMAN replied that she will get back to the committee
with a number.
4:31:46 PM
SENATOR YUNDT noted that SB 126 asks that education receive any
savings. He highlighted a complementary bill supporting
electronic devices for inmates, which could reduce costs through
telehealth and expand access to education. He shared a personal
story about mentoring an incarcerated friend. He emphasized that
compassion and education are critical to reducing recidivism.
4:33:22 PM
CHAIR KAWASAKI stated that after the repeal of Senate Bill 91 in
20182019, it was expected that the prison population would rise
sharply and reach critical levels by 2027. However, that
projection has not materialized, and Palmer Correctional
Facility was reopened in 2019. He asked how many regular beds
are open in the Palmer Correctional Facility.
4:33:55 PM
MS. WINKLEMAN answered that all 514 beds are full.
CHAIR KAWASAKI asked if Palmer Correctional Facility never
opened and the 514 were spread through the rest of the
facilities, what would the facility count be.
4:34:17 PM
MS. WINKLEMAN answered that all facilities would be a minimum of
100 percent.
CHAIR KAWASAKI explained that reopening the facility required at
least $18 million for the first year and staffing 70 positions,
reflecting a significant expense to bring it into operational
status.
4:34:57 PM
SENATOR YUNDT asked for clarification on whether reaching 100
percent refers to average occupancy or operational capacity. He
asked whether relocating 500+ inmates within Alaska would raise
the 81 percent to 100 percent or the 95 percent to 100 percent.
4:35:28 PM
MS. WINKLEMAN replied that total capacity, including all beds
and segregation units, is just under 5,000 inmates. Adding 500
inmates would push operational occupancy over 100 percent, while
average occupancy would exceed 90 percent, leaving only a small
margin.
SENATOR YUNDT clarified that operational capacity would go over
100 percent occupancy.
MS. WINKLEMAN replied that in addition to some cells taken off
line because of female ratio or different types of criminal's
other cells are taken off line due to deferred maintenance or
damage caused by inmates, such as broken sinks or toilets, and
these unavailable cells are included in the overall capacity
calculations.
4:36:41 PM
CHAIR KAWASAKI asked if the gym at the Fairbanks Correctional
Facility (FCC) is still half full of "boats" (plastic boat
shaped beds).
4:37:09 PM
MS. WINKLEMAN replied that DOC does utilize boats in some areas
but currently FCC does not have boats in the gym. She said half
of the gym is being utilized and the other half has bunk beds.
4:37:41 PM
CHAIR KAWASAKI summarized that SB 126 proposes consolidating
existing facilities and allowing for the placement of prisoners
in out-of-state facilities. He asked how decisions would be made
for designating out-of-state placements, noting that some
inmates are already sent out for safety or medical reasons. He
sked how designation would be decided for inmates with more than
seven years remaining on their sentences.
4:38:50 PM
MS. WINKLEMAN replied that placing inmates out-of-state would
begin with a Request for Information (RFI) to identify which
facilities are willing to accept specific populations, such as
sex offenders, while keeping Alaska prisoners separate. After
identifying suitable facilities, the classification unit would
review inmates' eligibility, considering facility requirements
and current in-state capacity issues, like the 110 beds offline
at Lemon Creek due to construction.
4:40:41 PM
SENATOR YUNDT asked whether the 778 inmates that are in the
facilities for violent crimes are all at maximum security
facilities or are the inmates spread throughout the state.
4:41:02 PM
MS. WINKLEMAN stated her belief that inmates are located
throughout the state but she would get back to the committee
with a definitive ansewr. She explained that committing a crime
against a person doesn't necessarily make an inmate a maximum-
security offender. There are a lot of factors to consider when
DOC classifies the inmates.
4:42:51 PM
CHAIR KAWASAKI held SB 126 in committee.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| SB68 (S) State Affairs Response Letter from DOLWD.pdf |
SSTA 4/8/2025 3:30:00 PM |
SB 68 |
| SB0126A.pdf |
SSTA 4/8/2025 3:30:00 PM |
SB 126 |
| Sponsor Statement SB 126.pdf |
SSTA 4/8/2025 3:30:00 PM |
SB 126 |
| Sectional Analysis - SB 126.pdf |
SSTA 4/8/2025 3:30:00 PM |
SB 126 |
| Fiscal note SB 126 DOC.pdf |
SSTA 4/8/2025 3:30:00 PM |
SB 126 |
| Dan Carothers Police Resume_Redacted1.pdf |
SSTA 4/8/2025 3:30:00 PM |
Police Standards council |
| David Ross Police Standards Resume_Redacted1.pdf |
SSTA 4/8/2025 3:30:00 PM |
Police Standards council |
| Timothy Collins Police Standards Resume_Redacted1.pdf |
SSTA 4/8/2025 3:30:00 PM |
Police Standards council |
| SSSB 62_Redacted.pdf |
SSTA 4/8/2025 3:30:00 PM |
SB 62 |
| ATIA- SB 26 letter of support.pdf |
SSTA 4/8/2025 3:30:00 PM |
SB 26 |
| Letter of Support.SB 62.OLTCO.pdf |
SSTA 4/8/2025 3:30:00 PM |
SB 62 |
| SB 62 Support Parole reform CY.pdf |
SSTA 4/8/2025 3:30:00 PM |
SB 62 |
| SB 62 Support Parole Reform CP.pdf |
SSTA 4/8/2025 3:30:00 PM |
SB 62 |
| SB 62 Support parole reformML.pdf |
SSTA 4/8/2025 3:30:00 PM |
|
| SB 62 Support parole reformEK.pdf |
SSTA 4/8/2025 3:30:00 PM |
|
| SB 62 Support parole reformHM.pdf |
SSTA 4/8/2025 3:30:00 PM |
|
| SB 62 Support parole reformBM.pdf |
SSTA 4/8/2025 3:30:00 PM |
|
| SB 62 Support parole reformLK.pdf |
SSTA 4/8/2025 3:30:00 PM |
SB 62 |
| Support parole reformCS.pdf |
SSTA 4/8/2025 3:30:00 PM |
SB 62 |