03/31/2025 01:30 PM Senate LABOR & COMMERCE

        SB 137-EXTEND BOARDS: MIDWIVES, NURSING, PAROLE                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
1:34:55 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  BJORKMAN announced  the consideration  of SENATE  BILL NO.                                                               
137  "An Act  extending  the  termination date  of  the Board  of                                                               
Certified Direct-Entry  Midwives; extending the  termination date                                                               
of the  Board of Nursing;  extending the termination date  of the                                                               
Board of Parole; and providing for an effective date."                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
1:35:43 PM                                                                                                                    
MATT  CHURCHILL,  Staff,  Senator Jesse  Bjorkman,  Alaska  State                                                               
Legislature, Juneau, Alaska,  presented a brief recap  of SB 137,                                                               
on behalf of the sponsor:                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
[Original punctuation provided.]                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     This   Bill  extends   the   sunset   dates  of   three                                                                    
     professional  boards (Direct-Entry  Midwifery, Nursing,                                                                    
     and  Parole)  and   follows  the  recommended  six-year                                                                    
     extension  for  each of  the  Boards  of Midwifery  and                                                                    
     Nursing to June 30,  2031 and the recommended four-year                                                                    
     extension of the Board of Parole to June 30, 2029.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
1:37:13 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR BJORKMAN opened public testimony on SB 137.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
1:37:41 PM                                                                                                                    
MICHAEL  GARVEY, Policy  Director, Alaska  Civil Liberties  Union                                                               
(ACLU) of  Alaska, Anchorage, Alaska, testified  with concerns on                                                               
SB 137.  He focused on Section  3, which would extend  the Alaska                                                               
Board of Parole until 2029.  The audit report recommended renewal                                                               
but highlighted  the need for stronger  legislative oversight due                                                               
to an unexplained  decline in parole approval rates.  He said the                                                               
ACLU disagrees with  a statement by the board's chair  that it is                                                               
inaccurate  to   compare  yearly  overall   discretionary  parole                                                               
approval  rates  since  comparing  aggregate data  is  a  routine                                                               
practice in criminal  justice. He urges lawmakers  to require the                                                               
board to  provide more  detailed reporting  on how  statutory and                                                               
regulatory criteria apply in  its decisions. Greater transparency                                                               
would allow the legislature to  ensure fairness, consistency, and                                                               
accountability in  parole decisions.  He said  SB 137  would also                                                               
help policymakers  identify barriers to reentry,  such as limited                                                               
behavioral  health  treatment,   and  consider  solutions.  Since                                                               
incarceration costs the  state over $200 per day  compared to $13                                                               
for  probation, better  data from  the board  would support  more                                                               
effective  use of  public funds  while fulfilling  the intent  of                                                               
renewing the parole board.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
1:40:23 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR BJORKMAN closed public testimony on SB 137.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
1:40:34 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR BJORKMAN solicited the will of the committee.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
1:40:36 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR MERRICK moved  to report SB 137,  work order 34-LS0732\A,                                                               
from  committee  with  individual  recommendations  and  attached                                                               
fiscal note(s).                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
1:40:51 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR BJORKMAN  found no objection  and SB 137 was  reported from                                                               
the Senate Labor and Commerce Standing Committee.