04/05/2008 12:00 PM House FINANCE

CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 185(STA)(title am)                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
     "An  Act  relating  to  the   central  registry  of  sex                                                                   
     offenders and  child kidnappers and to  the registration                                                                   
     requirements  for sex  offenders  and child  kidnappers;                                                                   
     and providing for an effective date."                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  WIELECHOWSKI,  SPONSOR,   explained  that  the  bill                                                                   
requires sexual  offenders and  child kidnappers  to register                                                                   
their email addresses and other  internet identifiers. Alaska                                                                   
has the  highest percentage  of internet  use in the  country                                                                   
and the highest percentage of sexual offenders.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
7:54:03 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative   Gara  asked  if   page  2,  line   25,  made                                                                   
additional requirements  related to drivers  license numbers.                                                                   
Senator  Wielechowski  explained  that section  as  technical                                                                   
clean-up.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Hawker stated that  he is uncomfortable  with                                                                   
the  bill. Page  3,  lines  27-31, essentially  requires  the                                                                   
Department of Public Safety (DPS)  to publish the list in its                                                                   
entirety.  He  thought that  gave  the Department  too  broad                                                                   
authority. It  could help sexual  offenders connect  with one                                                                   
another. Senator  Wielechowski responded  that the  intent is                                                                   
to allow  parents of children  to type in someone's  name and                                                                   
find out  if they  are a registered  sex offender.  He wanted                                                                   
DPS to  be able  to communicate  with internet providers  and                                                                   
organizations so  that they can  prohibit sex  offenders from                                                                   
having websites.  MySpace prohibits  convicted sex  offenders                                                                   
from having sites. He was open  to the will of the Committee.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
7:57:17 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
 PUBLIC TESTIMONY CLOSED.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
 SB  185  was  HEARD  and   HELD  in  Committee  for   further                                                                  
 consideration.