Legislature(2009 - 2010)BUTROVICH 205
04/16/2009 09:00 AM Senate STATE AFFAIRS
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SB189 | |
| HB19 | |
| HB106 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | SB 189 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | HB 19 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | HB 106 | TELECONFERENCED | |
HB 106-VILLAGE PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICERS
10:06:59 AM
CHAIR MENARD announced the consideration of HB 106. [CSHB
106(STA) (Title AM) was before the committee.]
10:07:06 AM
REPRESENTATIVE REGGIE JOULE, Alaska State Legislature, said he
has worked for some time on HB 106. Alaska's regional nonprofits
contract with the Department of Public Safety (DPS) to provide
village public safety officer (VPSO) services around much of
rural Alaska. In his area, the Northwest Arctic Borough (NWAB),
the regional nonprofit that runs the VPSO program had an
interest in allowing NWAB to run the program. The borough was
willing to take it, but current law prohibits that. HB 106
allows a nonprofit, with agreement with DPS, to decline a grant
and then the commissioner can provide the grant to a
municipality. This would only occur after the regional nonprofit
declines to administer the grant. This is not intended to take
away from the regional nonprofits.
CHAIR MENARD said she has a soft heart for nonprofits, and this
is good for the western region.
10:10:28 AM
SENATOR FRENCH said he was on a VPSO task force. It is a program
that needs strengthening, and he is in complete support. He
asked if there are municipalities that are ready to go, or is
this a structure for the future.
ELIZABETH HENSLEY, Intern for Representative Joule, said the
NWAB is prepared to take on the program. There will be
additional discussions and work with the commissioner.
SENATOR FRENCH asked if the NWAB would be viewed as a
municipality.
MS. HENSLEY said, yes, the definition of municipalities includes
five different statuses of cities and boroughs.
10:12:09 AM
SENATOR PASKVAN mentioned the issue of the municipality having
or not having police powers. He asked if accepting the grant
creates a police power that hasn't been accepted by the
municipality.
MS. HENSLEY said the intent is to provide VPSOs in villages
where there are no police or other public safety officials. The
definition of rural area would help with that. It relates to who
can receive a VPSO; they have to be in a rural area. Boroughs
that use their police powers don't use VPSOs. For example, the
North Slope Borough would qualify as a municipality that could
receive a grant because the population is less than 10,000, but
they wouldn't go for it because they are already using their
policing powers.
10:13:53 AM
MIKE SMITH, Tanana Chiefs Conference, Fairbanks, said the
conference runs the VPSO in the Interior, and originally had
concerns with the bill. He thanked Representative Joule for the
changes. Now the conference supports the bill.
SENATOR MEYER said HB 106 is an excellent idea.
COMMISSIONER JOE MASTERS, Department of Public Safety (DPS),
said he worked closely with Representative Joule. The bill will
allow the DPS to contract with a borough when it is less than
optimum for a nonprofit to administer the VPSO program. It is in
the best interest of the state to have the most suitable agency
administer the program to make it most effective. DPS supports
HB 106.
10:15:55 AM
SENATOR FRENCH moved to report CS for HB 106 from committee with
individual recommendations and attached fiscal note(s). There
being no objection, CSHB 106(STA) (Title AM) moved out of
committee.
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