03/25/1993 01:00 PM House CRA

  HB 93:  VILLAGE PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICERS PROGRAM                               
                                                                               
  Number 273                                                                   
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE FOSTER, PRIME SPONSOR OF HB 93, testified on                  
  the CS draft included in the committee members packets.  (A                  
  copy of the committee substitute may be found in the House                   
  Community and Regional Affairs Committee Room, Capitol Room                  
  110, and after the adjournment of the second session of the                  
  18th Alaska State Legislature, in the Legislative Reference                  
  Library.)  He described CSHB 93 by summarizing his sponsor                   
  statement.  (A copy of the sponsor statement may be found in                 
  the House Community and Regional Affairs Committee Room,                     
  Capitol Room 110, and after the adjournment of the second                    
  session of the 18th Alaska State Legislature, in the                         
  Legislative Reference Library.)                                              
                                                                               
  Number 297                                                                   
                                                                               
  BILL MILLER, PRESIDENT, DOT LAKE VILLAGE COUNCIL, testified                  
  via teleconference from Tok saying, "It's a very good bill                   
  (HB 93), but also I feel that it doesn't go quite far                        
  enough.  There could possibly be a requirement in there that                 
  positions be developed for a community desiring to have a                    
  position of VPSO (Village Public Safety Officer) that meets                  
  minimum standards or minimum requirements similar to the                     
  following: One would be a population of at least 25 year                     
  round residents with a population density of at least five                   
  persons per square miles.  This would allow for the                          
  possibility of having the VPSO in these communities, but not                 
  just having them for any little place, four or five people                   
  that want one."                                                              
                                                                               
  MR. B. MILLER continued, "Second, for the communities and                    
  villages that are not road connected to any Alaska State                     
  Trooper office or if road connected, would have a trooper                    
  response time of two hours in non-emergency conditions or a                  
  half hour under emergency conditions.  Also I'd like to                      
  question and ask if there would be a possibility of having a                 
  bill of some type...that could be introduced to allow for a                  
  village tribal course.  That could recognize and handle                      
  minor infractions with the VPSO and through their own court                  
  system...this would alleviate a lot of the pressure on the                   
  courts in our areas also."                                                   
                                                                               
  Number 332                                                                   
                                                                               
  CHARLES MILLER, DOT LAKE VILLAGE COUNCIL, testified via                      
  teleconference from Tok saying, "I'm also in full support of                 
  this bill (HB 93).  One thing I'd like to say is I'd like to                 
  see more VPSO positions in the villages, especially since                    
  there's been such a cutback in trooper funding."  He gave an                 
  example where a trooper was called at 8:00 a.m. to a village                 
  disturbance but did not respond until 2:00 p.m. that                         
  afternoon.                                                                   
                                                                               
  Number 373                                                                   
                                                                               
  GEORGE COLE, VPSO MANAGER, CENTRAL COUNCIL, testified via                    
  teleconference from Sitka in support of HB 93.  "It does                     
  legitimize the program.  It changes it from a budgetary line                 
  item in the Department of Public Safety into a real program.                 
  I think this will go a long way towards eliminating                          
  questions about under what authority do we even have a VPSO                  
  program...  It provides a mechanism for a yearly legislative                 
  review...  This bill would provide for the establishment of                  
  regulations to manage the program and thus it would provide                  
  a forum for changing those regulations that would be                         
  initiated by many of the communities involved in overseeing                  
  the program."                                                                
                                                                               
  Number 406                                                                   
                                                                               
  THOMAS STERNS, CAPTAIN, ALASKA STATE TROOPERS, DEPARTMENT OF                 
  PUBLIC SAFETY, testified from Anchorage via teleconference                   
  in support of HB 93.  He said, "I am the manager of the VPSO                 
  program, I've been asked by the Commissioner's Office to                     
  speak to the committee in regards to HB 93.  ...I think this                 
  is a very good step forward for the program and the state."                  
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE ED WILLIS asked how the troopers recruit and                  
  train.                                                                       
                                                                               
  CAPT. STERNS said, "Recruitment is conducted by the non-                     
  profit regional corporations...  As far as training, once a                  
  VPSO has been selected by the non-profits, a six-week                        
  academy in Sitka is conducted..."                                            
                                                                               
  Number 494                                                                   
                                                                               
  KENT SWISHER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ALASKA MUNICIPAL LEAGUE,                   
  testified briefly in support of HB 93.                                       
                                                                               
  VICE-CHAIRMAN SANDERS asked if putting HB 93 in statute                      
  increases the liability of the state.                                        
                                                                               
  CHAIRMAN OLBERG said, "They are already state employees, as                  
  I understand it.  This legitimizes them within the                           
  Department of Public Safety..."                                              
                                                                               
  MR. LABOLLE said, "I doubt that there's any more increased                   
  liability, because I think the liability already exists."                    
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE JOHN DAVIES said, "Having the present                         
  circumstances is one more liability than if you pass this                    
  legislation."                                                                
                                                                               
  Number 528                                                                   
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE BUNDE said, "I assume we have a zero fiscal                   
  note and that this simply puts into statute the grants that                  
  are provided (already)."                                                     
                                                                               
  MR. LABOLLE confirmed, "This does just formalize the grants                  
  that are already in existence to the regional corporations                   
  which administer the program."                                               
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVES DAVIES AND TOOHEY MOVED to ADOPT CSHB 93.                    
  There were no objections, and the MOTION CARRIED.                            
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE BUNDE MOVED to PASS CSHB 93 (CRA) out of                      
  committee with individual recommendations.  There were no                    
  objections, and the MOTION CARRIED.