02/21/2003 01:05 PM House JUD

                    ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE                                                                                  
               HOUSE JUDICIARY STANDING COMMITTEE                                                                             
                       February 21, 2003                                                                                        
                           1:05 p.m.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS PRESENT                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Representative Lesil McGuire, Chair                                                                                             
Representative Tom Anderson, Vice Chair                                                                                         
Representative Jim Holm                                                                                                         
Representative John Coghill                                                                                                     
Representative Les Gara                                                                                                         
Representative Max Gruenberg                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS ABSENT                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Representative Ralph Samuels                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
COMMITTEE CALENDAR                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
OVERVIEWS:  DEPARTMENT OF LAW, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
[For the regular  meeting minutes, see the 2:10  p.m. minutes for                                                               
this date.]                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
TAPES                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
03-10, SIDE(S) A & B                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR LESIL McGUIRE  convened the meeting of  the House Judiciary                                                             
Standing  Committee  at  1:05   p.m.    Representatives  McGuire,                                                               
Anderson, Holm,  Coghill, and  Gara were present  at the  call to                                                               
order.   Representative Gruenberg arrived  as the meeting  was in                                                               
progress.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
SUMMARY OF INFORMATION                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
GREGG  D.  RENKES, Attorney  General,  Department  of Law  (DOL),                                                               
presented an  overview of his litigation  experience, relayed his                                                               
support of negotiating  teams, and remarked on  the importance of                                                               
understanding  the commercial  and big-company  interests in  any                                                               
large  litigation/tax  case.    He spoke  on  the  importance  of                                                               
seeking  out  the  advice  and   expertise  of  other  attorneys,                                                               
networking  with   attorneys  general  across  the   nation,  and                                                               
understanding  the legislative  process.   He  also responded  to                                                               
questions regarding negotiation tactics.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
WILLIAM  TANDESKE,  Commissioner,  Department  of  Public  Safety                                                               
(DPS),  presented an  overview  of his  top  priorities for  this                                                               
year:    prevention  of domestic  violence  and  sexual  assault;                                                               
increasing  the  quantity and  quality  of  background checks  on                                                               
teachers, coaches,  and so  forth; and  providing support  in the                                                               
smaller   communities.     He  spoke   on  workforce   needs  and                                                               
development   issues,  and   responded  to   questions  regarding                                                               
homeland security.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
ANNOUNCEMENTS                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                              
There were no announcements.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
COMMITTEE ACTION                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
The committee took no action.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
ADJOURNMENT                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
The  House  Judiciary  Standing  Committee  took  an  at-ease  at                                                               
2:08 p.m. in order to prepare for  the regular meeting.  [For the                                                               
regular  meeting minutes,  see  the 2:10  p.m.  minutes for  this                                                               
date.]                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
NOTE:   The meeting was  recorded and handwritten log  notes were                                                               
taken.  A  copy of the tape(s)  and log notes may  be obtained by                                                               
contacting the  House Records  Office at  State Capitol,  Room 3,                                                               
Juneau,  Alaska  99801  (mailing address),  (907)  465-2214,  and                                                               
after  adjournment  of the  second  session  of the  Twenty-Third                                                               
Alaska  State Legislature  this  information may  be obtained  by                                                               
contacting the Legislative Reference Library at (907) 465-3808.