03/18/2024 01:30 PM Senate JUDICIARY
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SB17 | |
| Confirmation Hearing(s) State Board of Parole | |
| Adjourn |
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | SB 17 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | SB 134 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
SENATE JUDICIARY STANDING COMMITTEE
March 18, 2024
1:47 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Matt Claman, Chair
Senator Jesse Kiehl, Vice Chair
Senator James Kaufman
MEMBERS ABSENT
Senator Cathy Giessel
Senator Löki Tobin
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
SENATE BILL NO. 17
"An Act relating to political contributions; and providing for
an effective date."
- MOVED CSSB 17(JUD) OUT OF COMMITTEE
CONFIRMATION HEARING(S)
State Board of Parole
Richard Larson - Wasilla
- CONFIRMATION ADVANCED
SENATE BILL NO. 134
"An Act relating to insurance; relating to insurance data
security; relating to mammograms; amending Rule 26, Alaska Rules
of Civil Procedure, and Rules 402 and 501, Alaska Rules of
Evidence; and providing for an effective date."
- BILL HEARING RESCHEDULED TO 3/20/24
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: SB 17
SHORT TITLE: CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS
SPONSOR(s): SENATOR(s) KAWASAKI
01/18/23 (S) PREFILE RELEASED 1/9/23
01/18/23 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
01/18/23 (S) STA, JUD
04/27/23 (S) STA AT 3:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
04/27/23 (S) Heard & Held
04/27/23 (S) MINUTE(STA)
05/06/23 (S) STA AT 9:00 AM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
05/06/23 (S) Moved SB 17 Out of Committee
05/06/23 (S) MINUTE(STA)
05/08/23 (S) STA RPT 2DP 1NR
05/08/23 (S) DP: KAWASAKI, WIELECHOWSKI
05/08/23 (S) NR: BJORKMAN
01/19/24 (S) JUD AT 1:30 PM BUTROVICH 205
01/19/24 (S) Heard & Held
01/19/24 (S) MINUTE(JUD)
03/11/24 (S) JUD AT 1:30 PM BUTROVICH 205
03/11/24 (S) Heard & Held
03/11/24 (S) MINUTE(JUD)
03/18/24 (S) JUD AT 1:30 PM BUTROVICH 205
WITNESS REGISTER
RICHARD "OLE" LARSON, Appointee
State Board of Parole
Wasilla, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified as a governors appointee to the
State Board of Parole.
ACTION NARRATIVE
1:47:12 PM
CHAIR MATT CLAMAN called the Senate Judiciary Standing Committee
meeting to order at 1:47 p.m. Present at the call to order were
Senators Kiehl, Kaufman, and Chair Claman.
SB 17-CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS
1:47:40 PM
CHAIR CLAMAN announced the consideration of SENATE BILL NO. 17
"An Act relating to political contributions; and providing for
an effective date."
CHAIR CLAMAN said that this is the third hearing of SB 17 in the
Senate Judiciary Committee. A committee substitute (CS) was
adopted as the working document at the previous hearing. The
intention is to seek the will of the committee to move CSSB 17
from the Senate Judiciary Committee today.
1:48:01 PM
CHAIR CLAMAN found no closing comments or committee questions.
1:48:13 PM
CHAIR CLAMAN solicited the will of the committee.
1:48:15 PM
SENATOR KIEHL moved to report CSSB 17, work order 33-LS0183\B,
from committee with individual recommendations [and attached
zero fiscal note].
1:48:28 PM
CHAIR CLAMAN [found no objection and] CSSB 17(JUD) was reported
from the Senate Judiciary Standing Committee.
^CONFIRMATION HEARING(S) STATE BOARD OF PAROLE
CONFIRMATION HEARING(S)
STATE BOARD OF PAROLE
1:48:36 PM
CHAIR CLAMAN announced consideration of governor appointee
Richard Larson to the State Board of Parole. He invited Mr.
Larson to state his name for the record and proceed with his
testimony.
1:49:07 PM
RICHARD "OLE" LARSON, Appointee, State Board of Parole, Wasilla,
Alaska, testified as a governors appointee to the State Board
of Parole.
1:49:31 PM
CHAIR CLAMAN asked whether he had prior experience serving on
the State Board of Parole.
MR. LARSON replied that he served on the Board from 2010 to
2020, completing two terms. He said that he was not reappointed
in 2020 for the full term but was reappointed midway in 2022. He
said that he is now up for reappointment in 2024 for a 5-year
term.
1:50:04 PM
CHAIR CLAMAN asked him to share his experience serving on the
Board since 2022.
MR. LARSON observed a difference between his recent and prior
service ten years ago. He said the Board has not seen the same
[level of] discretionary offenders or resumes it used to during
his first ten years of earlier tenure. He pointed to two factors
in trying to analyze the cause:
- Restorative justice and Senate Bill 91 [Chapter 36, SLA 16].
When SB 91 went into effect, it was to create rehabilitation
programs in the community by closing correctional facilities.
As a result, Palmer Correctional Center, a major rehabilitation
center for minimumand medium-security incarcerated
individuals, was closed. That facility had offered a wide range
of programs, all of which were lost to the corrections system.
Shortly thereafter, COVID-19 struck.
1:51:29 PM
- COVID-related impacts.
Correctional facilities were locked down for at least two
years, and visitors were not allowed during the COVID period.
Programs were largely inactive or shut down, including many in
the community. However, this year, programs are returning
pretty strong. Palmer Correctional Center reopened, its
programs are back in operation, and efforts are underway to
restore them to pre-closure levels, both inside the facility
and in the community.
MR. LARSON said that when he first returned to the Board two
years ago, the discretionary applications were generally poor,
not for any reason due to the offenders themselves, but due to
the impacts of the two events that occurred. Now, the Board is
seeing an increase in programs and an increase in pretty solid
discretionary candidates coming before it.
1:53:14 PM
CHAIR CLAMAN opened public testimony; finding none, he closed
public testimony.
1:53:37 PM
CHAIR CLAMAN solicited the will of the committee.
1:53:41 PM
SENATOR KIEHL stated that [in accordance with AS 39.05.080,] the
Senate Judiciary Standing Committee reviewed the following and
recommends the appointment be forwarded to a joint session for
consideration:
State Board of Parole
Richard Larson - Wasilla
SENATOR KIEHL reminded members that signing the report(s)
regarding appointments to boards and commissions in no way
reflects individual members' approval or disapproval of the
appointees; the nominations are merely forwarded to the full
legislature for confirmation or rejection.
1:54:04 PM
CHAIR CLAMAN stated Mr. Larson's name will be forwarded to a
joint session of the legislature.
1:54:19 PM
There being no further business to come before the committee,
Chair Claman adjourned the Senate Judiciary Standing Committee
meeting at 1:54 p.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| SB 17 - Letters of Support Received as of 3.18.2024.pdf |
SJUD 3/18/2024 1:30:00 PM |
SB 17 |
| State Board of Parole Appointment- Richard Larson Resume 3.18.2024.pdf |
SJUD 3/18/2024 1:30:00 PM |