04/10/2003 03:35 PM Senate STA

        SB 158-MOVE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE COUNCIL TO DHSS                                                                       
                                                                                                                              
CHAIR  GARY  STEVENS  announced  the  sponsor,  Senator  Ben                                                                    
Stevens,  asked  that  the  bill  be  moved  to  the  Health                                                                    
Education and  Social Services  Committee. His  intention is                                                                    
to hold it there this year for further study.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  JOHN COWDERY  made a  motion  to move  SB 158  from                                                                    
committee.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  GRETCHEN GUESS  objected.  She  said Senator  Dyson                                                                    
[HESS  Chair]   assured  her  there   would  be   some  good                                                                    
productive conversation  in the community, but  at this time                                                                    
she  doesn't agree  with  the  bill so  an  objection is  in                                                                    
order. She elaborated:                                                                                                          
     We've been talking a lot  about sexual assault and                                                                         
     we have one more bill on  it. It is a crime and to                                                                         
     those of  us in  the community,  we believe  it is                                                                         
     appropriate in  Public Safety because it  is not a                                                                         
     health issue. It's a public safety issue.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR DYSON  clarified he  did not  intend to  address the                                                                    
bill [in the  HESS Committee] this year, but  he didn't mean                                                                    
to infer that  there might not be some  action next session.                                                                    
He's committed  to work  on the bill  during the  interim to                                                                    
determine the best direction.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  GARY STEVENS  asked for  a roll  call. The  objection                                                                    
failed with Senators Dyson, Cowdery,  Hoffman and Chair Gary                                                                    
Stevens voting yea and Senator Guess voting nay.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
SB 158 moved from committee.