Legislature(2025 - 2026)ADAMS 519

04/25/2025 01:30 PM House FINANCE

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* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
-- Delayed to 10 minutes Following Session --
+= HB 101 CRIMES AGAINST MINORS TELECONFERENCED
Moved CSHB 101(FIN) Out of Committee
-- Public Testimony --
+= HB 27 MEDICAL MAJOR EMERGENCIES TELECONFERENCED
Heard & Held
-- Public Testimony --
+ HB 123 TAXATION: VEHICLE RENTALS, SUBPOENAS TELECONFERENCED
Scheduled but Not Heard
+ Bills Previously Heard/Scheduled TELECONFERENCED
                  HOUSE FINANCE COMMITTEE                                                                                       
                      April 25, 2025                                                                                            
                         3:32 p.m.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
3:32:03 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CALL TO ORDER                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Foster  called the House Finance  Committee meeting                                                                    
to order at 3:32 p.m.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS PRESENT                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Representative Neal Foster, Co-Chair                                                                                            
Representative Andy Josephson, Co-Chair                                                                                         
Representative Calvin Schrage, Co-Chair                                                                                         
Representative Jeremy Bynum                                                                                                     
Representative Alyse Galvin                                                                                                     
Representative Sara Hannan                                                                                                      
Representative Nellie Unangiq Jimmie                                                                                            
Representative DeLena Johnson                                                                                                   
Representative Will Stapp                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS ABSENT                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Representative Jamie Allard                                                                                                     
Representative Frank Tomaszewski                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
ALSO PRESENT                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Andrew Gray,  Sponsor;  Lori Pickett,  Self,                                                                    
Juneau; Rachael  Gunn, Staff, Representative  Nellie Jimmie;                                                                    
Kaci Schroeder, Senior  Assistant Attorney General, Criminal                                                                    
Division,   Department  of   Law;   Katie  Giorgio,   Staff,                                                                    
Representative Genevieve Mina, Sponsor.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
PRESENT VIA TELECONFERENCE                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Gerry   Balluta,   Self,   Ketchikan;  Rob   Arnold,   Self,                                                                    
Ketchikan;  Sharyl  Yeisley,  Self, Ketchikan;  Brian  Webb,                                                                    
Self, Anchorage; Timothy  Peterson, Physician, Juneau; Jamie                                                                    
Morgan, Government  Relations Regional Lead,  American Heart                                                                    
Association, Sacramento, California.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
SUMMARY                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
HB 27     MEDICAL MAJOR EMERGENCIES                                                                                             
          HB 27 was HEARD and  HELD in committee for further                                                                    
          consideration.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
HB 101    CRIMES AGAINST MINORS                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
          CSHB 101(FIN)  was REPORTED out of  committee with                                                                    
          four   "do   pass"  recommendations,   three   "no                                                                    
          recommendation"  recommendations, and  two "amend"                                                                    
          recommendations and  with two new zero  notes from                                                                    
          the  Department of  Administration,  one new  zero                                                                    
          note  from the  Department  of Law,  two new  zero                                                                    
          notes from  the Department  of Public  Safety, one                                                                    
          new zero  note from Judiciary, and  two previously                                                                    
          published zero notes: FN1 (DFC) and FN5 (COR).                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
HB 123    TAXATION: VEHICLE RENTALS, SUBPOENAS                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
          HB 123 was SCHEDULED but not HEARD.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Foster reviewed the meeting agenda.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
HOUSE BILL NO. 101                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act relating  to civil claims by  victims of sexual                                                                    
     abuse  to a  minor; relating  to homicide;  relating to                                                                    
     assault  in the  third  degree;  relating to  stalking;                                                                    
     relating  to  sexual  abuse of  a  minor;  relating  to                                                                    
     enticement  of a  minor;  relating  to endangering  the                                                                    
     welfare  of a  child;  relating  to indecent  exposure;                                                                    
     relating  to  sending an  explicit  image  of a  minor;                                                                    
     relating to  solicitation or production of  an indecent                                                                    
     picture  of  a  minor;   relating  to  distribution  of                                                                    
     indecent material to minors;  relating to the testimony                                                                    
     of  children  in   criminal  proceedings;  relating  to                                                                    
     sentencing; and providing for an effective date."                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
3:33:14 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Foster  relayed the meeting  agenda. He  noted that                                                                    
HB 101  was heard  in a  prior meeting  [April 8,  2025]. He                                                                    
asked the  bill sponsor for  a brief recap before  moving to                                                                    
public comments and amendments.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE ANDREW  GRAY, SPONSOR, relayed that  the bill                                                                    
would raise the  age of consent from 16 years  of age to 18,                                                                    
increasing protection to  those 16 and 17 years  of age. The                                                                    
bill's inception  had been formed by  various sexual assault                                                                    
and  domestic violence  organizations having  identified the                                                                    
low age of  16 as vulnerable to sexual  predators because it                                                                    
was difficult  to charge  predators. The  legislation helped                                                                    
prevent assault on 16 and 17 year old youths.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
3:34:25 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Foster OPENED public testimony.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
LORI PICKETT, SELF, JUNEAU, testified in support for the                                                                        
bill with prepared remarks:                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
     My name  is Lori Pickett,  I'm a community  member with                                                                    
     more   than   35    years'   experience   working   and                                                                    
     volunteering in  the nonprofit and public  sectors, and                                                                    
     I'm  here today  to show  my strong  support for  House                                                                    
     Bill  101,  a  crucial step  toward  better  protecting                                                                    
     Alaska's youth from sexual exploitation.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
     Critically, to protect our  children still young enough                                                                    
     to be in high school, HB 101  proposes raising  the age                                                                    
     of consent in  Alaska from 16 to 18-putting  us in line                                                                    
     with  states like  Arizona, Florida,  Utah, Idaho,  and                                                                    
     Tennessee. This isn't an  extreme idea-it's a necessary                                                                    
     one. Many Alaskans are unaware  that the current age of                                                                    
     consent  is  only  16. But  predators  know.  And  they                                                                    
     exploit  that.   They  target  16-   and  17-year-olds,                                                                    
     knowing  the  law  is  on  their  side  and  that  it's                                                                    
     incredibly difficult to prove lack  of consent in a "he                                                                    
     said, she said" case.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     Importantly, HB 101  includes a close-in-age exemption.                                                                    
     That  means  normal, consensual  relationships  between                                                                    
     teenagers  aren't   criminalized-this  bill   is  about                                                                    
     stopping  exploitation,   not  policing   healthy  peer                                                                    
     relationships.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
     We are all painfully aware  that Alaska has some of the                                                                    
     highest  rates of  sexual  violence  in the  nation-and                                                                    
     much of the  world. Our young people  deserve more from                                                                    
     us.  HB 101  is an  essential and  overdue step  toward                                                                    
     protecting our  children through their  vulnerable teen                                                                    
     years and making  it harder for adults  to legally prey                                                                    
     on them.                                                                                                                   
     If we're  serious about tackling  the crisis  of sexual                                                                    
     violence in  our state, we  must act boldly. HB  101 is                                                                    
     common-sense, protective, and fair. Please, stand with                                                                     
     survivors. Stand with Alaska's youth. And support this                                                                     
     bill.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
3:37:08 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
GERRY BALLUTA, SELF,  KETCHIKAN (via teleconference), called                                                                    
in support of  the bill. She was personally aware  of a case                                                                    
where a 16 year old was  sexually exploited by a 23 year old                                                                    
but  the case  was unable  to be  prosecuted due  to current                                                                    
statute.  She believed  that the  current provisions  in the                                                                    
bill would have  made the assault a  cut and  dry" case. She                                                                    
implored  the committee  to support  the bill  on behalf  of                                                                    
other youth who were unable to make informed consent.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
3:39:12 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
ROB ARNOLD,  SELF, KETCHIKAN (via teleconference),  spoke in                                                                    
support of the legislation. He  shared that his daughter was                                                                    
15 and  would soon  be 16  and believed  that she  was still                                                                    
incapable  of  informed  consent  under  the  situation.  He                                                                    
thought that  there were many predators  targeting youth. He                                                                    
supported increasing the age to 18.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
3:40:05 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SHARYL  YEISLEY,   SELF,  KETCHIKAN   (via  teleconference),                                                                    
testified in  support of  increasing the  age of  consent to                                                                    
18.   She  believed   there  were   numerous  predators   in                                                                    
communities. She  highlighted that a  16 year old  could not                                                                    
vote,  drink,   etc.  She  commented   that  they   did  not                                                                    
understand how  they could  be preyed  upon and  groomed nor                                                                    
understand the  repercussions. She believed  that increasing                                                                    
the age  to 18 would  enable more prosecution  of predators.                                                                    
She shared that  she had been victimized when  under the age                                                                    
of 18 and favored the legislation.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
3:42:00 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Foster CLOSED public testimony.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
3:42:23 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Foster   stated  that  two  amendments   had  been                                                                    
received. He asked to hear the amendments.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Jimmie  MOVED  to  ADOPT  Amendment  1,  34-                                                                    
LS0451\N.1 (C. Radford, 4/11/25) (copy on file):                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     Page 6, lines 11 - 17:                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
     Delete all material and insert:                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     "(a) An offender  commits the crime of  sexual abuse of                                                                    
     a minor in the second degree if,                                                                                           
     (1) being 17 years of age or older,                                                                                        
     (A)  the offender engages  in sexual penetration with a                                                                    
     person who is                                                                                                              
     (i)   13,  14, or  15 years  of age  and at  least four                                                                    
     years younger than the offender; or                                                                                        
     (ii) 16 or 17 years of age and at least six years                                                                          
     younger than the offender; [,] or                                                                                          
     (B) aids,  induces, causes, or encourages  a person who                                                                    
     is 13, 14,  or 15 years of age and  at least four years                                                                    
     younger  than   the  offender   to  engage   in  sexual                                                                    
     penetration with another person;"                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
     Page 7, lines 10- 14:                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     Delete all material and insert:                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     "* Sec. 9. AS l 1.41.438(a) is amended to read:                                                                            
     (a)  An  offender commits the crime of  sexual abuse of                                                                    
     a minor  in the third degree  if being 17 years  of age                                                                    
     or older,  the offender engages in  sexual contact with                                                                    
     a person who is                                                                                                            
     (1) 13, 14, or 15 years  of age and at least four years                                                                    
     younger than the offender; or                                                                                              
     (2)   16  or 17  years of  age and  at least  six years                                                                    
     younger than the offender."                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Foster OBJECTED for discussion.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Representative   Jimmie   explained   the   amendment.   She                                                                    
communicated  that under  current law  a 16  or 17  year old                                                                    
could have  a sexual  relationship with someone  much older;                                                                    
even at  50 or 60 years  of age. The amendment  offered that                                                                    
if one  was 16 or 17,  the oldest sexual partner  could be 6                                                                    
years older; a 17 year old  could date someone up to 23 year                                                                    
old, which  allowed a  close in age  relationship yet  set a                                                                    
limit  to protect  teens from  being taken  advantage of  by                                                                    
older adults. She characterized it as a commonsense fix.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
3:43:51 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Foster asked for comments from the sponsor.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Gray  reminded  the  committee  that  Brenda                                                                    
Stanfill  [Executive  Director, Alaska Network  on  Domestic                                                                    
Violence  and   Sexual  Assault  (ANDVSA)]   had  previously                                                                    
testified to the  committee and requested an  expansion to 6                                                                    
years, only  for 16 and  17 year olds, to  guarantee support                                                                    
from  all its  member  organizations.  Ms. Stanfill  relayed                                                                    
that counselors  and others  subject to  mandatory reporting                                                                    
had  to  report   consensual  non-problematic  relationships                                                                    
under a  4 year "close  in age" exemption and  suggested the                                                                    
extension. He viewed it as a friendly amendment.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
3:45:06 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative Stapp  stressed that  he did not  support the                                                                    
amendment. He related that he  had two daughters and did not                                                                    
want his daughter when turned 16,  having sex with a 22 year                                                                    
old.                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair   Foster  asked   for  clarification   whether  the                                                                    
amendment decreased  the years  from 6 to  4. Representative                                                                    
Gray replied  that it  was the opposite.  He added  that the                                                                    
age difference was  less than 6 years, 5 years  and 364 days                                                                    
and the age was determined by  the birth day. He pointed out                                                                    
that  the amendment  was narrowed  to  only 16  and 17  year                                                                    
olds.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Representative   Bynum  shared   that  he   was  in   strong                                                                    
opposition  to the  amendment. He  was trying  to understand                                                                    
the rational  for the change. He  asked if the maker  of the                                                                    
amendment  had  considered  adding  a  sunset  date  to  the                                                                    
amendment. He thought it would  protect someone in a current                                                                    
relationship with the age difference.  He also suggested the                                                                    
amendment be reduced from 6 to 5 years difference.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Representative Jimmie requested an at ease.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
3:48:32 PM                                                                                                                    
AT EASE                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
3:50:22 PM                                                                                                                    
RECONVENED                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Representative Jimmie asked to hear from her staff.                                                                             
RACHAEL GUNN,  STAFF, REPRESENTATIVE NELLIE  JIMMIE, replied                                                                    
that  they had  looked into  the  idea and  the director  of                                                                    
ANDVSA had  told them it  was the recommendation due  to the                                                                    
consensual  non-problematic relationships.  She provided  an                                                                    
example of  a 17 year old  in a relationship with  a 22 year                                                                    
old and both families were  aware, yet it was still required                                                                    
to  be reported.  The  older  partner could  be  at risk  of                                                                    
prosecution even with parental  consent. The amendment freed                                                                    
mandatory   reporters   from   having  to   report   healthy                                                                    
consensual relationships.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Representative Galvin asked about  the expansion of the age.                                                                    
She provided an example of a 16  year old or 17 year old who                                                                    
may be  in a  university and  understood the  situation. She                                                                    
asked  for   context  from  what  other   states  had  done.                                                                    
Representative Gray answered  that Utah had a  10 year close                                                                    
in  age exemption  and Florida  had a  7 year  extension. He                                                                    
indicated  that  he  negotiated  the age  to  6  from  other                                                                    
options  being  proposed. He  noted  that  there were  other                                                                    
states with 4 but he felt 6 years was a good compromise.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
3:53:41 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative Johnson did not  support the amendment due to                                                                    
the difference between a 16 year  old and a 22 year old. She                                                                    
felt that a 22 year old was more mature and sophisticated.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
3:54:40 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Foster WITHDREW the OBJECTION.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Representative Stapp OBJECTED.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
A roll call vote was taken on the motion.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
IN FAVOR: Hannan,   Jimmie,   Galvin,  Schrage,   Josephson,                                                                    
Foster                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
OPPOSED: Stapp, Bynum, Johnson                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
The MOTION  PASSED (6/3). There being  NO further OBJECTION,                                                                    
Amendment 1 was ADOPTED.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
3:55:48 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Josephson MOVED  to ADOPT  Amendment 2,  34-LS0451                                                                    
(C. Radford, 4/24/25) (copy on file):                                                                                           
     Page 6, line 5, following "age":                                                                                           
     Insert "and at least two years younger than the                                                                            
     offender"                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
     Page 6, line 29, following "age":                                                                                          
     Insert "and at least two years younger than the                                                                            
     offender"                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Foster OBJECTED for discussion.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Josephson  explained the  amendment. He  pointed to                                                                    
page  6,  lines  5  and  29 of  the  bill  where  the  first                                                                    
reference involved  "penetration" and the  latter "contact."                                                                    
He reported that  an existing law had a  two year separation                                                                    
between  the 19  year old  and  someone under  16 under  the                                                                    
charges  of Sexual  Abuse  of a  Minor  1 [penetration]  and                                                                    
Sexual Abuse of a Minor  2 [contact] that applied to someone                                                                    
in a position of authority  over the victim and the offender                                                                    
resided in  the same household.  He cited subsection  (B) on                                                                    
line 8 and read:                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     (B) the offender occupies a position of authority in                                                                       
     relation to the victim                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Josephson wanted to retain  the two year separation                                                                    
in that situation.  He provided an example of a  19 year old                                                                    
who is  a boss of  a 17 year old  at a fast  food restaurant                                                                    
that  were intimate  and merely  had  contact like  "petting                                                                    
over clothing.  He  related that the boss  could be indicted                                                                    
and subject to prosecution. The  amendment only applied to a                                                                    
two year  difference and not 6,  because he did not  want to                                                                    
criminalize a  19 year old  that cared  for or desired  a 17                                                                    
year  old.  He emphasized  that  it  was very  difficult  to                                                                    
establish cutoffs,  but the law  demanded it.  The amendment                                                                    
retained the two year difference  in the current law and the                                                                    
bill bumped up  the age to 18. However,  the defendant could                                                                    
be aged 20.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
3:59:25 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Gray indicated  that he  was neutral  on the                                                                    
amendment. He  expanded that he  thought that a 19  year old                                                                    
could  use  their  position  of  authority  and  threaten  a                                                                    
younger   worker  if   she  did   not  comply   with  sexual                                                                    
engagement. He  deduced that someone in  authority with only                                                                    
two years  difference was extraordinarily rare  and the case                                                                    
would  almost  never  happen.  He  reiterated  that  he  was                                                                    
neutral on the amendment.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Stapp   thought  the  second  part   of  the                                                                    
amendment made sense. He was  concerned about the first part                                                                    
and cited page 6, line 6 and read:                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
     (A) the victim at the time of the offense is residing                                                                      
     in the same 7 household as the offender and the                                                                            
     offender has authority over the victim;                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Stapp  asked  if   the  amendment  could  be                                                                    
interpreted as not being a crime  if the child was 16 and an                                                                    
uncle (perpetrator)  lived in the house  rather than someone                                                                    
age 18.  Co-Chair Josephson replied  that currently  the law                                                                    
included the two year rule,  which the amendment maintained.                                                                    
He thought that it begged the  question if the two year rule                                                                    
was  good, but  it was  a status  quo amendment.  He offered                                                                    
that  he  was comfortable  with  the  amendment because  the                                                                    
relationship  was consensual.  He expounded  that much  case                                                                    
law existed  around what "authority" meant.  He believed the                                                                    
amendment was  important and provided  an example of  a lead                                                                    
camp counselor  who was  18.5 years  old, and  his assistant                                                                    
was 17.5 years of age, which  met the elements of the crime.                                                                    
He  added  that  if  there  was  penetration  it  became  an                                                                    
unclassified  felony and  was an  indictable offense,  which                                                                    
concerned him.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
4:03:05 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative Galvin appreciated  the conversation. She had                                                                    
four  children  and  could  not  help but  to  lean  on  the                                                                    
conservative side of the topic.  She recalled from testimony                                                                    
that  predators   were  acutely  aware  of   the  laws.  She                                                                    
discerned  that predators  knew  who could  consent and  who                                                                    
could not. She thought that someone  at age 16, if there was                                                                    
any adult acting  in an authoritarian capacity,  the 16 year                                                                    
old "behaved differently  and was  vulnerable. She wanted to                                                                    
send the  right message  to  any predators tracking the law.                                                                    
Co-Chair Josephson argued that  the reason he wanted members                                                                    
to  be  "comfortable"  with  the  amendment  was  it  mostly                                                                    
conformed  with current  law.  He  reiterated that  existing                                                                    
statute spoke  to someone in  authority in the  workplace or                                                                    
household. He was merely retaining  the 2 year provision. He                                                                    
recounted  that  the  committee  voted  for  a  relationship                                                                    
difference of 6 years in  the prior amendment. The amendment                                                                    
maintained  two  years  because of  the  power  differential                                                                    
involved. He  acknowledged that there were  nefarious actors                                                                    
but there  were also people in  love, and they did  not know                                                                    
any better.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
4:06:47 PM                                                                                                                    
AT EASE                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
4:09:42 PM                                                                                                                    
RECONVENED                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Representative Gray  clarified that currently in  statute if                                                                    
a 16 year  old was working at Subway and  her supervisor co-                                                                    
worker  was 18.5  years  old they  could  have a  consensual                                                                    
sexual relationship,  it was  currently legal.  He recounted                                                                    
that the  bill moved the age  to 18. Currently, a  16.5 year                                                                    
old   could  have   consensual  sexual   relations  with   a                                                                    
supervisor  who was  18, however  under the  bill she  could                                                                    
not.  He explained  that the  amendment  would preserve  the                                                                    
 very  tight less  than two  year" provision.  He reiterated                                                                    
that  it  was  currently  allowed,  and  it  was  a  logical                                                                    
amendment to the bill.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Hannan  was a  reluctant  yes  on the  first                                                                    
amendment, because she  did not want to expand  the close in                                                                    
age  measure.  Therefore,  she   deferred  to  the  concerns                                                                    
expressed  by the  domestic violence  staff and  others that                                                                    
were concerned that people would  not seek help because they                                                                    
were  aware  that  mandatory   reporters  would  report  the                                                                    
relationship. She  indicated that  the examples  often cited                                                                    
in  the  second amendment  happened  in  the workplace.  She                                                                    
recounted from  personal experience as a  prior teacher when                                                                    
the predator was the assistant coach  of a team, which was a                                                                    
position  of  authority.  She  provided   an  example  of  a                                                                    
volleyball  assistant  coach  at Kodiak  Highschool  charged                                                                    
with  multiple sexual  abuse charges.  She recalled  that it                                                                    
was  a  recent  case  that  happened  four  years  ago.  She                                                                    
asserted  that she  did  not  want to  extend  the two  year                                                                    
window.  She  thought  a position  of  authority  created  a                                                                    
 bright  line" that  prohibited sexual  relations until  all                                                                    
involved were  adults. She reiterated why  she supported the                                                                    
first  amendment. However,  she did  not want  to perpetuate                                                                    
the idea that 16 and 17  year olds should be having sex with                                                                    
adults even  if they were  only 2 years older.  She believed                                                                    
that the  "world view" between a  19 year old and  a 17 year                                                                    
old  was  "very  different"  and  a  "magical  bright  line"                                                                    
existed on  the day one  turns 18 "where the  decisions were                                                                    
different and invested  with them." She did  not support the                                                                    
amendment.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
4:13:24 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Josephson relayed  some  of  the recent  committee                                                                    
discussion   regarding  his   amendment   that  proved   his                                                                    
perspective.  He cited  an  American  Civil Liberties  Union                                                                    
(ACLU) brief that  stated often the judge  had no discretion                                                                    
without  mitigators,   which  translated  to  an   8.5  year                                                                    
sentence. He  was attempting to  keep the  bill "reasonable"                                                                    
and reminded  Representative Hannan  that the  amendment did                                                                    
not extend the  provision but maintained the  current law of                                                                    
2 years.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Stapp communicated  that Co-Chair  Josephson                                                                    
changed his mind  on his earlier comments.  He explained his                                                                    
reasoning  that  he  could  not  comprehend  how  the  shift                                                                    
manager of a fast food  restaurant would ever know that they                                                                    
would be an  unclassified felon, especially in  light of the                                                                    
6  year  extension in  Amendment  2.  He  did not  like  the                                                                    
amendment, but  he did not  want someone  to be a  felon for                                                                    
the rest  of their life if  the bill passed and  someone was                                                                    
in an established relationship, which became illegal.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
4:16:43 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Foster noted  that the Department of  Law (DOL) was                                                                    
in the room for questions.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Representative Galvin  wanted to  hear from  the department.                                                                    
She noted that the House  Finance Committee was not a policy                                                                    
committee, but  she wanted  to know  how often  the scenario                                                                    
happened and how the department viewed the amendment.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
KACI SCHROEDER, SENIOR  ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL, CRIMINAL                                                                    
DIVISION, DEPARTMENT OF LAW, looked  at the amendment as one                                                                    
of the better ways to  preserve the two year age difference.                                                                    
She emphasized that  it was a policy call  for the committee                                                                    
to decide  where to draw  the line, but she  maintained that                                                                    
DOL did  not identify any  legal issues with  the amendment.                                                                    
She answered that  she did not have statistics  on how often                                                                    
the close in  age scenario happened, but she  was aware that                                                                    
it  did. She  elaborated that  in  close in  age cases,  the                                                                    
department looked  at the elements  of the case  and whether                                                                    
it could  prove the elements  beyond a reasonable  doubt. In                                                                    
addition,  the  case  was  examined   in  the  "interest  of                                                                    
justice," whether pursuing  the case was the  right thing to                                                                    
do for all involved.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Representative Galvin commented that  the committee heard an                                                                    
example  from   Representative  Hannan  and   several  other                                                                    
scenarios.  She  reasoned  that   the  committee  wanted  to                                                                    
establish  a  clear  sense of  the law."  She was  concerned                                                                    
over  the penalty  and understood  how serious  changing the                                                                    
law was  and wanted  to make  an "appropriate"  and informed                                                                    
change.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
4:20:02 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Schroeder answered that the  first part of the amendment                                                                    
applied  to sexual  abuse of  a  minor in  the first  degree                                                                    
making it an unclassified felony  that carried a sentence of                                                                    
20  to  30  years  and  a lifetime  registration  as  a  sex                                                                    
offender. She  delineated that the second  part of amendment                                                                    
was a class B  felony sex offense subject to a  term of 5 to                                                                    
15 years for a first time felon and a maximum of 99 years.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
4:20:54 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative Stapp WITHDREW the OBJECTION.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative Hannan OBJECTED.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Representative Hannan spoke to  her objection. She discussed                                                                    
two related cases she was  aware of from personal experience                                                                    
of sexual relations between a  senior and freshmen that both                                                                    
led to prosecution. She  understood normal teenage behavior,                                                                    
but  the did  not want  to diminish  the ideal  of statutory                                                                    
rape  and  carving out  protections  for  adults. Her  major                                                                    
concern was protecting minors and  18 year olds needed to be                                                                    
aware that  there were restrictions on  behavior; especially                                                                    
in instances of camps, coaching, etc.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
4:23:05 PM                                                                                                                    
AT EASE                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
4:26:44 PM                                                                                                                    
RECONVENED                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Jimmie provided  an example  of two  17 year                                                                    
olds in  a relationship  and one child  turned 18  first and                                                                    
became an  assistant sports coach  and the  relationship was                                                                    
reported,  she wondered  whether  it would  be a  classified                                                                    
felony.  Ms. Schroeder  answered  that  if the  relationship                                                                    
involved  sexual penetration,  it would  be an  unclassified                                                                    
sex felony and if it involved  sexual contact, it would be a                                                                    
class B sex felony.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Josephson  provided wrap up. He  contended that the                                                                    
bill  was  "tough." He  remarked  that  he had  respect  for                                                                    
Representative  Hannan's viewpoint,  but he  maintained that                                                                    
the  amendment was  not  watering down  anything;  it was  a                                                                    
conforming   amendment.  He   referred  to   the  stepfather                                                                    
scenario and pointed  out that all ages  would be prohibited                                                                    
from sexual relations with their  stepchildren. He asked for                                                                    
support.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
A roll call vote was taken on the motion.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
IN FAVOR: Jimmie, Galvin, Stapp, Josephson, Schrage, Foster                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
OPPOSED: Johnson, Bynum, Hannan                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
The MOTION  PASSED (6/3). There being  NO further OBJECTION,                                                                    
Amendment 2 was ADOPTED.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
4:29:38 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Schrage  MOVED  to REPORT  CSHB  101(FIN)  out  of                                                                    
committee   with   individual    recommendations   and   the                                                                    
accompanying fiscal notes.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Bynum objected.  He  strongly supported  the                                                                    
bill but was  opposed to the recent  amendments. He believed                                                                    
that the bill  was a massive improvement to  current law. He                                                                    
WITHDREW the OBJECTION.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Representative Johnson OBJECTED.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
A roll call vote was taken on the motion.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
IN FAVOR: Hannan, Galvin,  Stapp, Bynum,  Jimmie, Josephson,                                                                    
Schrage, Foster                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
OPPOSED: Johnson                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
The MOTION PASSED (8/1).                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
There  being   NO  further  OBJECTION,  CSHB   101(FIN)  was                                                                    
REPORTED   out   of   committee    with   four   "do   pass"                                                                    
recommendations, three  "no recommendation" recommendations,                                                                    
and two "amend" recommendations and  with two new zero notes                                                                    
from  the Department  of Administration,  one new  zero note                                                                    
from  the Department  of Law,  two new  zero notes  from the                                                                    
Department  of  Public  Safety,   one  new  zero  note  from                                                                    
Judiciary,  and two  previously  published  zero notes:  FN1                                                                    
(DFC) and FN5 (COR).                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Representative Gray  thanked the  committee for  hearing the                                                                    
bill.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
HOUSE BILL NO. 27                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act relating to medical care for major                                                                                 
     emergencies."                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
4:32:57 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Foster asked  the sponsor to provide  a brief recap                                                                    
of the bill.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
KATIE   GIORGIO,  STAFF,   REPRESENTATIVE  GENEVIEVE   MINA,                                                                    
SPONSOR, provided  an overview  of the bill.  She summarized                                                                    
that HB 27  provided a coordinated statewide  system of care                                                                    
for  Alaskans experiencing  heart attacks  and strokes.  The                                                                    
state had  a trauma system  of care for many  years centered                                                                    
in the Department of Health  (DOH), which included training,                                                                    
coordination,  adoption   of  protocols,  a   trauma  center                                                                    
registry  system  with  hospitals that  specified  different                                                                    
levels of care, and  robust data collection. The legislation                                                                    
strove  to replicate  the  trauma system  of  care to  heart                                                                    
attack and  stroke emergencies. The program  would be housed                                                                    
within  DOH. She  added  that a  Guardian  Flight letter  of                                                                    
support was recently added to  the member's bill files (copy                                                                    
on file).                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
4:35:15 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Foster OPENED public testimony.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
BRIAN WEBB, SELF,  ANCHORAGE (via teleconference), testified                                                                    
in support  of the bill. He  shared that he was  a paramedic                                                                    
and critical care flight paramedic  for 50 years. He relayed                                                                    
that since the passage of  HB 168 [Trauma Care Centers/Fund,                                                                    
Chapter 98  SLA 10,  06/21/2010] in 2010,  which established                                                                    
trauma centers  and a trauma  system of care, the  state was                                                                    
collecting  and  using  important  trauma  related  data  to                                                                    
identify  "hot spots",  allocate  additional resources,  and                                                                    
develop a design pattern to  enact preventative measures. He                                                                    
elaborated  that  the  data allowed  Alaska  EMS  to  target                                                                    
resources,  training  protocols, and  equipment  acquisition                                                                    
towards  trauma  care.  He  emphasized  that  HB  127  would                                                                    
accomplish  the same  outcome for  medical emergencies.  The                                                                    
same  type of  volunteer hospital  facility designation  for                                                                    
Level  1 through  Level 5  trauma centers  that allowed  for                                                                    
inspections and facilitated  facility recertifications would                                                                    
be  established   for  heart   attack  and   stroke  medical                                                                    
emergencies.  The bill  allowed  EMS to  determine where  to                                                                    
deliver the  patients to the  most appropriate  facility and                                                                    
help  decrease  mortality.  He added  that  the  bill  would                                                                    
result  in  cost savings,  better  patient  outcomes, and  a                                                                    
reduction in permanent disability. He asked for support.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
4:38:12 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
TIMOTHY  PETERSON, PHYSICIAN,  JUNEAU (via  teleconference),                                                                    
spoke in support of the bill.  He shared that he was calling                                                                    
on  behalf of  his position  as Medical  Director, Southeast                                                                    
Region   EMS,   which   assisted   27   different   agencies                                                                    
transporting  patients.  He   was  concerned  about  patient                                                                    
safety  and  outcomes.  He spoke  about  a  recent  regional                                                                    
conference  that  included  all  the  medical  directors  in                                                                    
Southeast Alaska, medical  directors from Airlift Northwest,                                                                    
Guardian Flight, LifeMed,  Inc., and medical representatives                                                                    
from Carnival  Cruise Lines. The discussion  centered on the                                                                    
geography  and remoteness  of Southeast  Alaska. The  bill's                                                                    
inception was born  out of the lack of  an Emergency Medical                                                                    
System like the  Trauma Care System. He  emphasized the lack                                                                    
of data  analysis to  help with  the transport  decisions of                                                                    
life   threatening  medical   emergencies  where   time  was                                                                    
critically  important to  outcomes. He  added that  training                                                                    
and  equipment  were  important to  assist  in  getting  the                                                                    
patient to the right facility.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Representative Hannan asked for  confirmation that he was in                                                                    
support  of   the  bill.  Dr.   Peterson  answered   in  the                                                                    
affirmative.  Representative  Hannan  thanked  him  for  his                                                                    
work.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
4:41:53 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
JAMIE MORGAN,  GOVERNMENT RELATIONS REGIONAL  LEAD, AMERICAN                                                                    
HEART     ASSOCIATION,    SACRAMENTO,     CALIFORNIA    (via                                                                    
teleconference),  testified  in  favor   of  the  bill.  She                                                                    
believed  that the  bill would  ensure timely  and effective                                                                    
treatment for  heart attack and stroke  medical emergencies.                                                                    
She  relayed  that  the  American  Heart  Association  (AHA)                                                                    
advocated for  quality systems of  care based  on nationally                                                                    
recognized standards  for heart attack and  stroke patients.                                                                    
She emphasized that the right care  at the right time at the                                                                    
right facility was essential  for time sensitive emergencies                                                                    
like   strokes.  She   delineated  that   approximately  795                                                                    
thousand  people  each  year experienced  a  stroke  in  the                                                                    
United  States (U.S.).  A care  system  that reduced  stroke                                                                    
related deaths  by 2 to  3 percent saved 20  thousand lives.                                                                    
The  care systems  improved patient  outcomes and  were cost                                                                    
effective.  She  concluded  that establishing  a  system  of                                                                    
heart  attack and  stroke care  improved outcomes  and saved                                                                    
lives.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
4:43:33 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Foster CLOSED public testimony.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Foster  set an  amendment deadline  of April  29 at                                                                    
5:00 pm                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
HB  27  was   HEARD  and  HELD  in   committee  for  further                                                                    
consideration.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Foster reviewed  the  schedule  for the  following                                                                    
meeting.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
ADJOURNMENT                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
4:45:03 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
The meeting was adjourned at 4:45 p.m.                                                                                          

Document Name Date/Time Subjects
HB 101 Amendments 1-2 042425.pdf HFIN 4/25/2025 1:30:00 PM
HB 101
HB 27 -- GUARDIAN FLIGHT Letter of Support.pdf HFIN 4/25/2025 1:30:00 PM
HB 27