03/01/2024 01:30 PM House JUDICIARY
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| Confirmation Hearing(s): Public Defender Agency | |
| HB238 | |
| Adjourn |
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| += | HB 238 | TELECONFERENCED | |
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
HOUSE JUDICIARY STANDING COMMITTEE
March 1, 2024
1:32 p.m.
DRAFT
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Sarah Vance, Chair
Representative Jamie Allard, Vice Chair
Representative Ben Carpenter
Representative Craig Johnson
Representative Jesse Sumner
Representative Andrew Gray
Representative Cliff Groh
MEMBERS ABSENT
All members present
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
CONFIRMATION HEARING(S)
Public Defender Agency
Terrence Haas - Bethel
- CONFIRMATION(S) ADVANCED
HOUSE BILL NO. 238
"An Act relating to criminal mischief in the third degree; and
providing for an effective date."
- HEARD & HELD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: HB 238
SHORT TITLE: CRIMINAL MISCHIEF 3RD DEGREE
SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) JOSEPHSON
01/16/24 (H) PREFILE RELEASED 1/8/24
01/16/24 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
01/16/24 (H) JUD
02/26/24 (H) JUD AT 1:30 PM GRUENBERG 120
02/26/24 (H) Heard & Held
02/26/24 (H) MINUTE(JUD)
03/01/24 (H) JUD AT 1:30 PM GRUENBERG 120
WITNESS REGISTER
TERRENCE HAAS, appointee
Public Defender Agency
Department of Administration
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified as appointee to the Public
Defender Agency.
REPRESENTATIVE JOSEPHSON
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Gave an overview of Amendment 1 to HB 238,
as the prime sponsor, and answered questions.
ALEXANDER SCHROEDER, Staff
Representative Andy Josephson
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Explained the changes in Amendment 1 to HB
238, on behalf of Representative Josephson, prime sponsor.
ACTION NARRATIVE
1:32:26 PM
CHAIR VANCE called the House Judiciary Standing Committee
meeting to order at 1:32 p.m. Representatives Carpenter, C.
Johnson, Gray, Groh, Allard, and Vance were present at the call
to order. Representative Sumner arrived as the meeting was in
progress.
^CONFIRMATION HEARING(S): Public Defender Agency
CONFIRMATION HEARING(S): Public Defender Agency
1:33:11 PM
CHAIR VANCE announced that the first order of business would be
a confirmation hearing for the Public Defender Agency.
1:33:33 PM
TERRENCE HAAS, appointee, Public Defender Agency, Department of
Administration, spoke to his personal and professional
background, explaining that he spent the past 15 years as a
public defender and superior court judge in Bethel. He informed
the committee that three years ago, he became the presiding
judge for the Fourth District, which encompasses Bethel and
Fairbanks. He credited his passion for public defense as the
reason for leaving the bench.
1:36:06 PM
REPRESENTATIVE ALLARD asked why Mr. Haas left the bench.
MR. HAAS noted the impact from the COVID-19 Pandemic on the
entire justice system. He said he felt strongly about the need
to get the agency "back up to snuff," adding that recruitment,
retention, and training needs more work.
REPRESENTATIVE ALLARD asked whether Mr. Haas has social media.
MR. HAAS explained that he created a social media account for
the Public Defender Agency. As for a personal account, he said
he might have an old Facebook account that he no longer uses.
1:38:44 PM
REPRESENTATIVE GROH asked whether Mr. Haas is on the job now and
how that occurred.
MR. HAAS said his predecessor resigned, and he took over as
acting public defender in the interim until the legislature
confirms the appointment.
REPRESENTATIVE GROH pointed out that it is unusual for someone
to leave the bench for the Public Defender Agency. He asked Mr.
Haas to expound on his reason for leaving.
MR. HAAS stated that he felt called to take the position as a
matter of principle.
1:41:26 PM
REPRESENTATIVE CARPENTER referenced Mr. Haas's resume and asked
whether the publication, titled "Advocating for parents in rural
America: A Best Practices Approach," described his approach to
advocating for people in the judicial system.
MR. HAAS said that article was published during a period in his
career when he handled mostly child in need of aide (CINA) cases
and got an intimate understanding of those circumstances and how
difficult they are. He said he felt that he could bring his
previous experience to the role of public defender.
1:43:57 PM
CHAIR VANCE opened public testimony on Mr. Haas's appointment.
After ascertaining that no one wished to testify, she closed
public testimony.
1:44:42 PM
CHAIR VANCE moved to advance the confirmation of Terrence Haas,
appointee to the Public Defender Agency, to the joint session of
the House and Senate for consideration. He reminded members
that signing the reports regarding appointment to boards and
commissions in no way reflects individual members' approval or
disapproval of the appointees, and that the nominations are
merely forwarded to the full legislature for confirmation or
rejection. There being no objection, the confirmation was
advanced.
1:45:11 PM
The committee took an at-ease from 1:45 p.m. to 1:48 p.m.
HB 238-CRIMINAL MISCHIEF 3RD DEGREE
1:48:53 PM
CHAIR VANCE announced that the final order of business would be
HOUSE BILL NO. 238, "An Act relating to criminal mischief in the
third degree; and providing for an effective date."
1:49:23 PM
REPRESENTATIVE ALLARD moved to adopt Amendment 1 to HB 238,
labeled 33-LS1101\A.3, C. Radford, 2/29/24, which read:
Page 2, lines 6 - 7:
Delete "structure, or personal property"
Insert "a structure, or property
(i) belonging to a religious institution;
(ii) used to educate the public about a
religion; or
(iii)"
Page 2, lines 15 - 16:
Delete "a building, structure, or personal
property"
Insert "the building, structure, or property
belonging to a religious institution, used to educate
the public about a religion, or"
Page 2, line 18:
Delete "personal"
REPRESENTATIVE CARPENTER objected for the purpose of discussion.
1:49:46 PM
REPRESENTATIVE JOSEPHSON, Alaska State Legislature, prime
sponsor of HB 238, explained that Amendment 1 would include the
grounds [of a property] and religious institutions used to
educate the public in the bill.
1:52:39 PM
The committee took an at-ease from 1:52 p.m. to 1:54 p.m.
1:54:18 PM
ALEXANDER SCHROEDER, Staff, Representative Andy Josephson,
Alaska State Legislature, on behalf of Representative Josephson,
prime sponsor of HB 238, further explained the deletion of the
word "personal" in Amendment 1.
1:55:21 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SUMNER asked whether a Facebook page would be
considered property.
REPRESENTATIVE JOSEPHSON answered, "Maybe."
1:56:17 PM
REPRESENTATIVE GRAY asked how to delineate a religious
institution on shared property, such as those in strip malls,
for example.
REPRESENTATIVE JOSEPHSON conveyed that the property must belong
to the religious institution. He provided an example.
REPRESENTATIVE GRAY asked about property leased by the religious
institution and whether that property would be viewed as
belonging to the institution.
1:58:16 PM
MR. SHROEDER said technically, yes, depending on the definition
of "belonging."
CHAIR VANCE asked about property belonging to a religious
institution that may not be used for a religious purpose [and
whether that would be covered by Amendment 1].
REPRESENTATIVE JOSEPHSON said the property would have to be used
for worship or any other religious purpose.
2:00:15 PM
REPRESENTATIVE CARPENTER asked whether it would matter whether
the person engaging in the conduct knew that the property
belonged to a religious institution.
REPRESENTATIVE JOSEPHSON described the crime as a "knowing
crime" and discussed the actus reus. He said there could be a
degree of negligence that could speak to a lower sentence,
indicating that an accidental desecration of a religious item or
institution could fall under the bill's rubric.
2:02:06 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SUMNER questioned what would happen if it was
unclear that the property is a religious institution.
REPRESENTATIVE JOSEPHSON suspected that a "reasonable person
test" would be applied to that scenario. He provided an
example.
REPRESENTATIVE SUMNER clarified the question, sharing the
example of a church that owns a car lot. He asked whether the
desiccation of the car lot would be covered by the bill.
REPRESENTATIVE JOSEPHSON suspected that the desiccation of a car
lot that belongs to a religious institution could not have been
done knowingly.
2:04:33 PM
REPRESENTATIVE GROH considered a scenario in which a swastika is
spray painted on a synagogue, which would show more of an
intentional standard, he presumed.
REPRESENTATIVE JOSEPHSON said the scenario in question sounds
both knowing and intentional.
2:05:27 PM
REPRESENTATIVE GRAY posed the example of an anti-Islamic sign
being hung from a parking lot across from a mosque. He further
explained that although the sign is not on the mosque's
property, the intention is for it to be seen. He asked shared
his understanding that this scenario would not qualify; however,
he believed that it should.
REPRESENTATIVE JOSEPHSON agreed that it would not be a covered
item. He pointed out that the scenario broached First Amendment
rights and cited R.A.V. vs. City of St. Paul wherein the court
found no liability. He added that the goal of the bill was not
to prescribe that behavior as illegal.
2:07:08 PM
REPRESENTATIVE CARPENTER asked whether sub-subparagraphs (i) and
(ii) were separated by an "and" or "or."
REPRESENTATIVE JOSEPHSON said both sub-subparagraph (i) and sub-
subparagraph (ii) were "or."
REPRESENTATIVE CARPENTER sought to confirm that a building used
to educate the public on religion would "stand alone," meaning
that it would not need to be owned by a religious institution.
REPRESENTATIVE JOSEPHSON confirmed that it would stand alone.
2:08:41 PM
REPRESENTATIVE CARPENTER posed a hypothetical scenario in which
a church rents out a gymnasium in a public school. He sought to
confirm that if that space were desecrated, the conduct would be
subject to the language [in Amendment 1.]
REPRESENTATIVE JOSEPHSON suggested that a smart prosecutor would
charge the offender under (c)(3). In response to a follow up
question, he stated that the defacement of a school that is also
used for religious worship would fall under criminal mischief in
the fourth degree.
2:11:10 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SUMNER questioned whether the verbal desecration
of a religious broadcast would be covered by the bill.
REPRESENTATIVE JOSEPHSON shared his understanding that the event
in question would not be covered by the bill, adding that the
scenario encroached on First Amendment and freedom of speech
rights.
2:12:48 PM
REPRESENTATIVE GRAY asked whether the law would apply to
universities offering religious studies.
REPRESENTATIVE JOSEPHSON shared his belief that if the theology
department of a university of were desecrated, it would meet the
elements of the crime.
2:14:22 PM
REPRESENTATIVE C. JOHNSON opined that if a person were tagging
various properties that happen to include a religious
institution, it should not be considered desecration because
religion is not the specific target. He stated his belief that
there should be a distinction made between tagging and the
intent to maliciously desecrate religious property.
2:17:30 PM
The committee took a brief at-ease.
2:18:31 PM
REPRESENTATIVE CARPENTER questioned the use of the word "public"
and asked whether it would be too restrictive.
REPRESENTATIVE JOSEPHSON explained that if a member desecrated
religious property during a private event, it would be covered
under [sub-subparagraph] (i) or (iii).
2:20:18 PM
REPRESENTATIVE GRAY agreed that the words "the public" were
problematic. He questioned whether the words could be removed.
2:20:57 PM
REPRESENTATIVE ALLARD moved to withdraw Amendment 1. There
being no objection, Amendment 1 was withdrawn.
2:22:01 PM
CHAIR VANCE announced that HB 238 would be held over.
2:22:36 PM
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committee, the House
Judiciary Standing Committee meeting was adjourned at 2:22 p.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| Terrence P Haas Resume 1_26_24.pdf |
HJUD 3/1/2024 1:30:00 PM |
|
| HB 238 - Amendment #1 (A.3).pdf |
HJUD 3/1/2024 1:30:00 PM |
HB 238 |