Legislature(2007 - 2008)BELTZ 211
04/18/2007 02:00 PM Senate HEALTH, EDUCATION & SOCIAL SERVICES
Audio | Topic |
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Start | |
SB150 | |
SB8 | |
Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
*+ | SB 150 | TELECONFERENCED | |
*+ | SB 8 | TELECONFERENCED | |
SB 150-CRIMES AT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SHELTERS CHAIR BETTYE DAVIS announced SB 150 to be up for consideration. DONNE FLEAGLE, intern to Chair Davis, sponsor of SB 150, said that the bill was a response to an instance of domestic violence at a Juneau shelter. It will not solve the social ill of domestic abuse but will bring attention to it. Alaska has one of the highest rates of domestic abuse in the nation, and the legislation will give the courts the ability to hand down additional jail time for those who commit felonies on the premises of a shelter or facility providing aid to domestic or sexual assault victims. The language of the bill has been left intentionally broad to allow for different courts to determine their own definitions of facilities and services; the bill is not tied to specific facilities or programs. 2:10:51 PM SENATOR DYSON said that Juneau police have talked about wanting a safe haven to place underage prostitutes, like a shelter; he asked if they would be protected under SB 150. 2:12:36 PM JERRY LUCKHAUPT, legislative counsel for Legislative Legal and Research Services Division, asked Senator Dyson to repeat his question. SENATOR DYSON said that police would like to see 13 beds in shelters available for lodging underage prostitutes, and asked if they would be covered under the bill. JERRY LUCKHAUPT replied that the girls would be covered under the bill. SENATOR COWDERY asked if Anchorage is the city with the most assault incidences, and asked what security measures are in place as shelters. 2:14:06 PM MR. LUCKHAUPT said that shelters are secured with locked doors, but in many areas of Alaska they're not necessarily safer than a house. He said that the bill was written to cover large and small shelters. 2:15:21 PM SENATOR THOMAS asked if there's a requirement for a restraining order under the bill. MR. LUCKHAUPT replied that the bill applies to anyone convicted of a felony offense, which qualifies as an aggravating factor allowing the maximum offense penalty. CHAIR DAVIS pointed out that SB 150 is the companion bill to a house bill sponsored by Representative Andrea Doll. 2:17:03 PM LINDA STANFORD, program coordinator for Arctic Women In Crisis (AWIC) in Barrow, said that she supports the bill; people need to be held accountable for not respecting safe houses and shelters. Security should to be a primary goal; people who seek shelter are often very scared, and shelters provide safety for them. She related a story about past troubles with her shelter, and how they had a negative impact on the shelter's inhabitants. She explained the safety features of her building, and said that off-site safe-house volunteers are sometimes terrorized. 2:22:40 PM DON SHIRCEL, Director of Client Development for the Tanana Chiefs Conference, said that rural women and children don't have enough access to domestic violence aid; volunteers have little or no backup in case of an attack. SB 150 is a step in the right direction to protecting safe homes and shelters. 2:24:32 PM CHAIR DAVIS said that there has been no opposition to the bill, and it could possibly be moved out of committee that day. 2:25:11 PM CHRIS ASHENBRENNER, Interim Program Administrator for the Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, said that she was working at a Juneau shelter when an incident happened, and described the levels of security at that shelter and how the incident was traumatizing to everyone involved. There wasn't a sufficient punishment for the perpetrator; maybe such incidents wouldn't happen if people were aware of the penalty. 2:27:16 PM SENATOR COWDERY said that someone had suggested TASERs as a security measure for shelters, and commented that that could be a viable option for discouraging incidents. 2:28:34 PM MS. ASCHENBRENNER said that she will continue to look for ways to improve security. SARAH LYN TABACHNIK, Executive Director of Aiding Women in Abuse and Rape Emergencies (AWARE) Juneau, said that women at shelters expect a certain level of safety; there's a need for increased security. She talked about a previous incident in Juneau and how frightening it was for all at the shelter in question. 2:30:20 PM CHAIR DAVIS asked Ms. Fleagle for closing remarks. MS. FLEAGLE said that the Department of Justice doesn't track aggravated assault crimes committed in shelters, nor any other entity. CHAIR DAVIS remarked that it was Ms. Fleagle's first bill before committee, and congratulated her. 2:31:48 PM SENATOR COWDERY made a motion to move SB 150 from committee with individual recommendations and attached fiscal note(s). There being no objection, the motion carried.
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