04/11/2009 09:00 AM House FINANCE

HOUSE BILL NO. 141                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     "An  Act   relating  to   the  Interstate   Compact  for                                                                   
     Juveniles; relating to the  State Council for Interstate                                                                   
     Adult and Juvenile Offender  Supervision; amending Rules                                                                   
     4  and  24(b),  Alaska Rules  of  Civil  Procedure;  and                                                                   
     providing for an effective date."                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
9:57:50 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
AMANDA   MORTENSEN,  STAFF,   REPRESENTATIVE  JOHN   COGHILL,                                                                   
SPONSOR, explained  the legislation (Sponsor  Statement, copy                                                                   
on file).  The bill  would enact  the new interstate  compact                                                                   
for juveniles  into law and  replace the old  compact created                                                                   
in  1955.  The  compact  provides  the  procedural  means  to                                                                   
regulate the  movement of  juveniles under court  supervision                                                                   
across   state    lines.   The    Association   of    Compact                                                                   
Administrators  estimates  that  the  Interstate  Compact  on                                                                   
Juveniles  is   used  in  20,000   to  30,000   transfer  and                                                                   
supervision cases annually.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Ms.   Mortensen   stressed   that    the   compact   improves                                                                   
communication between  states by making language  consistent.                                                                   
The bill  also provides  for the  collection of  standardized                                                                   
information  and information-sharing  systems.  She  informed                                                                   
the committee that 36 states had  already passed the compact;                                                                   
without it,  Alaska would have to  deal with each state  on a                                                                   
case-by-case basis.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
ANTHONY  NEWMAN,   PROGRAM  OFFICER,  DIVISION   OF  JUVENILE                                                                   
JUSTICE, DEPARTMENT  OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES,  spoke in                                                                   
support  of   the  legislation.   The  department   would  be                                                                   
responsible  for  administering  the  interstate  compact  on                                                                   
juveniles.  He reported  that  about 160  juveniles enter  or                                                                   
leave Alaska each year and the  interstate compact has helped                                                                   
oversee  their  travel.  The division  had  agreed  that  the                                                                   
compact needed to  be updated and that Alaska  needed to join                                                                   
other states that have the compact.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Newman  detailed that  the compact  changes apply  at the                                                                   
national  and  state level.  Under  the new  compact,  Alaska                                                                   
would support  establishment of  an independent and  national                                                                   
operating  authority to help  administer compact  activities.                                                                   
The  authority   would  establish   uniform  procedures   and                                                                   
coordinate  standardized  training.  Alaskan  representatives                                                                   
would be appointed  by the governor's office  and be expected                                                                   
to  serve on  a national  commission. Alaska  would agree  to                                                                   
abide  by   the  rules   of  the   compact,  be  subject   to                                                                   
interventions  to correct non-compliance,  and would  collect                                                                   
data as needed.  Alaska would agree to pay dues  and would be                                                                   
expected  to  set  up a  state  council  to  oversee  compact                                                                   
operations in the state.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
10:01:43 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
CAROL  BRENCKLE,  CHAIR,  ALASKA  JUVENILE  JUSTICE  ADVISORY                                                                   
COMMITTEE,  KENAI (via teleconference)  testified in  support                                                                   
of  the legislation.  She described  experience  representing                                                                   
juveniles  for 25 years  as a  criminal defense attorney  and                                                                   
noted that the  compact would provide uniform  standards. She                                                                   
stated  concerns about  expense to the  state, especially  in                                                                   
staff time,  if the  bill is not  promptly passed.  Her other                                                                   
concern  was  that  other  states  were  already  setting  up                                                                   
regulations and Alaska should  be part of the process to best                                                                   
protect its interests.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
10:05:26 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stoltze referred to the $45,000 fiscal note.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Newman clarified  that the department would  not create a                                                                   
new council  but would share  efforts with an  existing state                                                                   
council that oversees the adult offender compact.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Hawker MOVED to report  HB 141 out of Committee with                                                                   
individual  recommendations   and  the  accompanying   fiscal                                                                   
notes. There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
HB  141  was REPORTED  out  of  Committee  with a  "do  pass"                                                                   
recommendation  and attached fiscal  note 1 by  Department of                                                                   
Health and Social Services and  zero note 2 by the Department                                                                   
of Corrections.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
10:07:59 AM         AT EASE                                                                                                   
10:17:16 AM         RECONVENED