Legislature(1993 - 1994)
01/26/1993 09:08 AM Senate CRA
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
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= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
SENATE COMMUNITY & REGIONAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
January 26, 1993
9:08 a.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Randy Phillips, Chairman
Senator Robin Taylor, Vice Chairman
Senator Rick Halford
MEMBERS ABSENT
Senator Al Adams
Senator Fred Zharoff
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
SENATE BILL NO. 15
"An Act relating to the village public safety officers
program."
SENATE BILL NO. 48
"An Act making a supplemental appropriation for certain
elections for regional educational attendance area school
boards and coastal resource service area boards; and
providing for an effective date."
PREVIOUS SENATE COMMITTEE ACTION
SB 15 - No previous action to record.
SB 48 - No previous action to record.
WITNESS REGISTER
Commissioner Richard Burton
Department of Public Safety
P.O. Box 111200
Juneau, AK 99811-1200
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SB 15
Lieutenant Governor Jack Coghill
Office of the Lieutenant Governor
P.O. Box 110015
Juneau, AK 99811-0015
POSITION STATEMENT: Offered information in support
of SB 48
Dean Guaneli
Criminal Division
Department of Law
P.O. Box 110300
Juneau, AK 99811-0300
POSITION STATEMENT: Present to respond to questions
on SB 15
George Cole
4928 Hummingbird Lane
Juneau, AK 99801
POSITION STATEMENT: Supports SB 15
Howard Amos
Box 219
Bethel, AK 99559
POSITION STATEMENT: Supports SB 15
Josie King
P.O. Box 948
Nome AK 99762
POSITION STATEMENT: Supports SB 15
Captain Tom Stearns
Alaska State Troopers
Department of Public Safety
5700 East Tudor Road
Anchorage, AK 99507
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SB 15
Kent Swisher
Alaska Municipal League
217 2d St.
Juneau, AK 99801
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SB 15
ACTION NARRATIVE
TAPE 93-1, SIDE A
Number 001
The Senate Community & Regional Affairs Committee was called
to order by Chairman Randy Phillips at 9:08 a.m. Because
there was not a quorum present, the Chairman stated he would
take testimony only until a quorum was established. He then
brought SB 15 (VILLAGE PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICERS PROGRAM)
before the committee.
Number 020
COMMISSIONER RICHARD BURTON, Department of Public Safety,
said the legislation came about as the result of discussions
between members of the legislature, members of non profit
corporations and the Department of Public Safety.
The department has been administering the Village Public
Safety Officers program for approximately the last 10 years,
however, the program is only existent as a grant pass-
through program in a budget document. SB 15 will establish
the VPSO program in statute, thereby formalizing the program
to improve the quality of the service and to bring some
sense of organization to it.
Commissioner Burton stated the VPSO program is a very
important program, and it is of great assistance to the
Department of Public Safety, particularly in the rural areas
which have been neglected somewhat over the years.
Number 048
Chairman Randy Phillips set aside SB 15 until later in the
meeting.
The next order of business to come before the committee was
SB 48 (APPROP: SUPPLEMENTAL FOR ELECTIONS).
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR JACK COGHILL explained that the Division
of Elections has requested a supplemental appropriation for
1993 for extraordinary costs. During the 1992 general and
primary election, they had insufficient balances due to the
uncertainty of reapportionment. The court transferred the
REAA and CRSA elections from October 1992 to March 1993, and
the $90,000 being requested is to pay for the cost of these
elections.
Lieutenant Governor Coghill stressed the urgency of moving
the legislation as quickly as possible, because the Division
of Elections needs the funds to cover the costs of
advertising, printing, supplies, etc., for the March
election.
Lieutenant Governor Coghill noted that Charlot Thickstun,
Director of the Division of Elections was present to respond
to any technical questions the committee may have.
Number 120
CHAIRMAN RANDY PHILLIPS said SB 48 would be set aside until
a quorum was established.
SB 15 (VILLAGE PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICERS PROGRAM) was brought
back before the committee.
Number 132
DEAN GUANELI, Criminal Division, Department of Law, stated
he was present to answer questions on the a proposed
committee substitute and that he had provided the committee
with a letter explaining the changes.
Number 145
CHAIRMAN RANDY PHILLIPS stated the committee would take
testimony from witnesses in Juneau, as well as those signed
up to testify over the teleconference network.
Number 147
GEORGE COLE, Village Public Safety program manager for the
Tlingit Haida Central Council, voiced their support for SB
15, primarily because it moves the program into the reality
of being a program instead of just a budgetary line item.
It also provides a pathway for legislative review in that
there will be regulations governing the program that will be
subject to review by the legislature. Finally, it will help
assure that the program is continued.
Number 150
HOWARD AMOS, testifying from Bethel in support of SB 15,
stated he has been a VPSO for 10 years. He said that
villages in his region do not have an economic base and that
these villages cannot fully finance the police departments
for their respective villages. He added that the Alaska
State Troopers fully rely on the VPSO's as first responders
when there are problems.
SENATOR TAYLOR arrived at the meeting.
Number 200
JOSIE KING, testifying from Nome and representing Kawerak
Inc., stated she has been a VPSO director for approximately
nine years, working within the program. She stressed the
importance of the program and that it be included in the
statutes.
Number 212
CAPTAIN TOM STEARNS, Alaska State Troopers, testifying from
Anchorage, said he has rural enforcement command, as well as
the oversight command of the VPSO program. He said in
working with the program on a day-to-day basis, he thinks to
bring the program up to its professional standard, it needs
to be brought in under legislation and it needs to have
regulations to move it along. He believes this is the first
step in gaining the ability to manage the VPSO program.
Number 235
SENATOR HALFORD arrived at the meeting.
Number 244
KENT SWISHER, representing the Alaska Municipal League and
testifying in Juneau, stated the League's support for the
Village Public Safety Officer program and their support for
creating its statutory authority as provided in SB 15.
Number 252
CHAIRMAN RANDY PHILLIPS closed the public hearing on SB 15
and asked for the will of the committee. There being no
motion on SB 15, he stated it would be held in committee for
now.
Number 268
CHAIRMAN RANDY PHILLIPS asked for the will of the committee
on SB 48.
SENATOR HALFORD moved that SB 48 be passed out of committee
with individual recommendations. Hearing no objections, it
was so ordered.
There being no further business to come before the
committee, the meeting was adjourned at 9:25 a.m.
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