04/15/2010 08:30 AM House FINANCE

SENATE BILL NO. 266                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
     "An  Act relating  to emergency  compensation from  the                                                                    
     Violent Crimes Compensation Board."                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
GRIER HOPKINS, STAFF, SENATOR JOE THOMAS delivered the                                                                          
sponsor statement.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
     The Victims of Violent Crimes Compensation Board (VCCB)                                                                    
     was  created in  1972  in an  attempt  to mitigate  the                                                                    
     financial  hardships  suffered  by victims  of  violent                                                                    
     crimes. This board is able to support these victims and                                                                    
     their  dependents  with up  to  $40,000  and $1,500  in                                                                    
     immediate emergency compensation.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
        Senate Bill 266 proposes to increase the limit for                                                                      
                emergency compensation to $3,500.                                                                               
                                                                                                                              
          The allowable amount for emergency compensation                                                                       
     has not  been increased  since 1975  and is  limited to                                                                    
     verifiable lost wages, counseling and relocation costs.                                                                    
     The most pressing need for emergency compensation is to                                                                    
     cover relocation  costs when  a victim is  in immediate                                                                    
     danger at their current location.                                                                                          
          The costs for these emergency expenses have                                                                           
     increased substantially  over the years, and  $1,500 is                                                                    
     unable to cover deposit and first and last month rents,                                                                    
     especially when  a family  or dependents  are involved.                                                                    
     Emergency awards  are necessary because the  Board only                                                                    
     meets approximately five times per  year, and it can be                                                                    
     several weeks or months before a claim are considered.                                                                     
          In Fiscal Year 2009 there was $25,547.80 given in                                                                     
     emergency compensation for 22  claims. 12 of these were                                                                    
     made at the maximum amount of $1,500. So far in FY2010,                                                                    
     $29,699.17 has been awarded  by way of emergency awards                                                                    
     for  24  claims.  The crime  victim  compensation  fund                                                                    
     receives approximately  70% of its  appropriations from                                                                    
     the state  in the  form of felon's  garnished Permanent                                                                    
     Fund Dividends and 30% from federal funds. This type of                                                                    
     compensation is deducted from the final amount given to                                                                    
     the victim and  any excess award must be  repaid to the                                                                    
     Board.                                                                                                                     
          I urge you to join me in assisting Alaska's                                                                           
     victims of  violent crimes when their  need is greatest                                                                    
     and support Senate Bill 266.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
10:21:30 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Representative Fairclough  asked if  either a  higher number                                                                    
or average claims for relocation were considered.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
KATE  HUDSON,  ADMINISTRATOR,  VIOLENT  CRIMES  COMPENSATION                                                                    
BOARD explained that  the main issue for  emergency funds is                                                                    
relocation.  Lost wages  and  counseling  are not  generally                                                                    
issues. She  explained that the  board looked at  an average                                                                    
cost of  an apartment including  a security deposit  and two                                                                    
months wages.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Representative   Fairclough  envisioned   $5000.  A   travel                                                                    
expense from  rural Alaska including  rent and  deposits for                                                                    
utilities could not be covered with $3500.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Hopkins explained that the  $3500 is awarded immediately                                                                    
to help the victim relocate.  The victim can always approach                                                                    
the  board for  additional funding  up to  the $40  thousand                                                                    
limit.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Fairclough stated  that due  to the  timing,                                                                    
she would  not offer an  amendment but she planned  to offer                                                                    
it  on the  floor along  with costs  for justification.  She                                                                    
believed  that  $3500  would  not   be  sufficient  to  meet                                                                    
transportation needs.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Hudson  commented that involved children  have their own                                                                    
claim numbers and the board  can often award $3500 per claim                                                                    
number.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Representative Fairclough  asked if  the award  for children                                                                    
was at  the discretion  of the  board. Ms.  Hudson responded                                                                    
true. She opined  that the board opened cases  that they did                                                                    
not have to.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
10:25:26 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Representative   Gara   liked  Representative   Fairclough's                                                                    
suggestion.  He asked  how her  suggestion would  affect the                                                                    
solvency of  the board.  Ms. Hudson  opined that  the change                                                                    
would have no impact.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Vice-Chair   Thomas   commented    that   he   agreed   with                                                                    
Representative Fairclough about the travel costs.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Foster  asked how  a  person  residing in  a                                                                    
village might  become aware of  the opportunity.  Ms. Hudson                                                                    
responded that  law enforcement is  required to  provide the                                                                    
information.  She noted  that child  advocacy programs  also                                                                    
advertise the opportunity.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
10:27:25 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Salmon  wondered  about  relocation  in  the                                                                    
urban  area.   Ms.  Hudson  replied  that   depends  on  the                                                                    
claimant's plan. Some claimants choose  to move out of town,                                                                    
while others wish to relocate to another state.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
10:28:16 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Hawker opened public testimony.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
GERAD  GODFREY,  VIOLENT   CRIMES  COMPENSATION  BOARD  (via                                                                    
teleconference)  thanked Representative  Fairclough for  her                                                                    
observation. He commented on an  early concern regarding the                                                                    
incremental adjustment paired with  inflation as the initial                                                                    
increase was $1500 to $6000.  In reality, children sometimes                                                                    
have their own claim. He  mentioned recent instances where a                                                                    
female involved in  a domestic violence situation  was in an                                                                    
isolated community  where the people of  her community would                                                                    
turn  against her  if she  cooperated with  law enforcement.                                                                    
The board's role  in the matter is  to encourage cooperation                                                                    
and performance  of the  civic duty  to prosecute.  He hoped                                                                    
that $3500  would better  serve. If  a person  must consider                                                                    
relocating  in an  urban area,  the board  may suggest  safe                                                                    
areas.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Hawker closed public testimony.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Fairclough MOVED  to  report SB  266 out  of                                                                    
Committee   with   individual    recommendations   and   the                                                                    
accompanying fiscal note.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
SB  266 was  REPORTED  out  of Committee  with  a "do  pass"                                                                    
recommendation  and with  previously published  fiscal note:                                                                    
FN1 (DOA)                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
10:34:15 AM         RECESS to CALL of the CHAIR                                                                               
2:10:09 PM          RECONVENED