04/13/1996 02:55 PM Senate FIN

                                                                               
  SENATE BILL NO. 320                                                          
                                                                               
       An Act increasing  the number of superior  court judges                 
       designated for  the Third Judicial  District to provide                 
       an additional superior court judge at Dillingham.                       
                                                                               
  Co-chairman Halford directed  that SB 320 be  brought on for                 
  discussion.   ART SNOWDEN,  Administrative Director,  Alaska                 
  Court System, came before committee.  He explained  that the                 
  new judge would  fill a hole in the  Dillingham/Naknek area.                 
  Citizens in the area have raised concern that many cases are                 
  "pled  out"  because of  lack  of prosecutorial  and defense                 
  assets.   Necessity for  judges to travel  from Anchorage to                 
  preside  at  Dillingham   depletes  ability  to  cover   the                 
  Anchorage caseload.                                                          
                                                                               
  LAURIE  OTTO,  Deputy Attorney  General,  Criminal Division,                 
  Dept. of  Law,  next  came  before committee.    She  voiced                 
  support  for  the  legislation  and  directed  attention  to                 
                                                                               
                                                                               
  correspondence citing the basis for support.  She noted that                 
  much  of  the problem  associated  with prosecutions  in the                 
  region is inability to "get  adequate court time to  process                 
  the cases within  the time limit  set in state speedy  trial                 
  rules."                                                                      
                                                                               
  In response to a question from  Senator Sharp, Ms. Otto said                 
  that the position would be new to the region.  Facilities (a                 
  court  building  in  Dillingham staffed  by  clerks)  are in                 
  place.  There is a public defender in the area, but district                 
  attorneys serve the region out of the Anchorage office.  One                 
  district attorney dedicates full time to Dillingham.  If the                 
  judge is placed in Dillingham,  the Anchorage position would                 
  move to the region as well.                                                  
                                                                               
  Senator Rieger MOVED for  passage of SB 320  with individual                 
  recommendations  and  the  accompanying  fiscal  note.    No                 
  objection having  been raised,  SB 320 was  REPORTED OUT  of                 
  committee  with a $226.8 fiscal  note from the Court System.                 
  All members  signed the  committee report  with a  "do pass"                 
  recommendation with the  exception of  Senator Phillips  who                 
  signed "no recommendation."