05/04/2004 01:21 PM House RLS

SB 340-DETENTION OF MINORS                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR ROKEBERG  announced that the  next order of  business would                                                               
be SENATE  BILL NO.  340, "An  Act relating  to the  detention of                                                               
delinquent  minors   in  correctional  facilities;   relating  to                                                               
emergency  detention of  minors  for  evaluation for  involuntary                                                               
admission for  mental health treatment; relating  to detention of                                                               
intoxicated minors and minors incapacitated  by alcohol or drugs;                                                               
and providing for an effective date."                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Number 0240                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
PATTY WARE,  Director, Division  of Juvenile  Justice, Department                                                               
of  Health and  Social  Services (DHSS),  informed the  committee                                                               
that HB 487  is the companion to  SB 340.  She  explained that SB
  amends  sections of  the  delinquency,  alcohol, and  mental                                                               
health statutes  to prohibit the  holding of juveniles  in either                                                               
adult jails or juvenile facilities  when the juvenile hasn't been                                                               
charged with committing  a crime.  This  legislation is necessary                                                               
to be in alignment with  the requirements of the federal Juvenile                                                               
Justice  and  Delinquency  Prevention   Act.    Furthermore,  the                                                               
division  is working  on  alternatives in  a  range of  locations                                                               
across the  state as there are  a range of nonsecure  shelters in                                                               
both rural  and urban locations.   The state has been  working on                                                               
this matter for  well over a decade, she related.   She specified                                                               
that the division has been  working with the Department of Public                                                               
Safety,  in  particular the  Alaska  State  Troopers.   Ms.  Ware                                                               
informed  the committee  that [HB  487] was  reported out  of the                                                               
House  Judiciary   Standing  Committee  and  the   House  Finance                                                               
Committee.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE McGUIRE asked if HB 487  is exactly the same as SB
.                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
MS. WARE replied yes.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  ROKEBERG,  upon determining  there  was  no one  else  who                                                               
wished to testify, closed public testimony.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Number 0381                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE BERKOWITZ moved to report  SB 340 out of committee                                                               
with individual recommendations and  the accompanying zero fiscal                                                               
note.   There being no  objection, SB  340 was reported  from the                                                               
House Rules Standing Committee.