Legislature(2017 - 2018)FAHRENKAMP 203
01/31/2018 11:30 AM Senate RULES
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| Consideration of Human Resources Memorandum | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
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+ teleconferenced
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ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
SENATE RULES STANDING COMMITTEE
January 31, 2018
11:40 a.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Kevin Meyer, Chair
Senator Pete Kelly
Senator Peter Micciche
Senator Anna MacKinnon
Senator Berta Gardner
MEMBERS ABSENT
All members present
OTHER LEGISLATORS PRESENT
Senator David Wilson
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
HUMAN RESOURCES MEMORANDUM
- VOTED TO RELEASE THE MEMORANDUM
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
No previous action to record
WITNESS REGISTER
No witnesses
ACTION NARRATIVE
11:40:52 AM
CHAIR KEVIN MEYER called the Senate Rules Standing Committee
meeting to order at 11:40 a.m. Present at the call to order were
Senators Gardner, Micciche, Kelly, MacKinnon, and Chair Meyer.
^Consideration of Human Resources Memorandum
CONSIDERATION OF HUMAN RESOURCES MEMORANDUM
CHAIR MEYER said there was one item on the agenda today, the
report developed at the request of Senator Kelly by the
Legislative Human Resources Manager, Skiff Lobaugh.
11:41:49 AM
He announced an at ease, so that members could read the report.
11:46:21 AM
CHAIR MEYER called the meeting back to order at 11:46 a.m. and
invited Senator Kelly to comment.
SENATOR KELLY said he asked the Rules Committee to consider
releasing the report regarding Senator Wilson's statement at a
press conference he held on December 7, 2017. The report the
Rules Committee released on December 12, 2017 concluded that
Senator Wilson's conduct in June did not fit the definition of
hostile work environment sexual harassment. In fact, the report
concluded the facts did not substantiate a case of sexual
harassment. However, Senator Wilson's press conference on
December 7, 2017, triggered a second investigation that
concluded there was retaliation under state and federal
guidelines.
SENATOR KELLY said the non-partisan Human Resources (HR) manager
investigated the matter and prepared the report the committee is
releasing today. The release of this report shows the Senate
does not condone retaliation and expects all legislative
employees to be treated with respect. In deciding to release
this report, they had to weigh the privacy interest guaranteed
in the Alaska Constitution versus the public's right to know.
Looking at the facts of the situation and considering that
Senator Wilson held a public press conference that was broadcast
across the state, they decided to resolve this issue in favor of
the public's right to know.
11:48:15 AM
SENATOR KELLY said upon receipt of the retaliation report,
Senate leadership reviewed the findings with Senator Wilson and
took the following disciplinary actions:
-Required a letter of responsibility to the House staff employee
(HSE) involved
-Set a three-month probation as a period for Senator Wilson to
demonstrate that he understands the human resources policies and
decorum expectations of the Alaska Senate and the entire
legislature
-Required an individual training course on retaliation
-Placed Senator Wilson on travel restrictions
SENATOR KELLY stated that Senator Wilson had complied with these
actions to date. The sum-total of this case is to be found in
Senator Wilson's very public press conference and the HR Report
from the Legislative Affairs Agency.
On advice of legal counsel, Senator Kelly said, no further
comment will be made regarding this report or situation due to
the complexity of navigating state law along with the U.S. Equal
Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) guidelines regarding
retaliation when public comments are made in any regard to
individuals who participated in a legally protected activity.
11:49:19 AM
SENATOR KELLY moved to release the Human Resources confidential
memo from the Legislative Affairs Agency dated December 8, 2017,
from committee. There were no objections and it was so ordered.
SENATOR GARDNER said she wanted to put a question on the record:
The conclusion on the second page of the report says, "multiple
times in the press conference he revealed confidential
information and disclosed questions that were asked during the
investigation." Her question was: did he know those were to be
confidential?
CHAIR MEYER responded that issue couldn't be addressed in this
committee.
11:51:14 AM
CHAIR MEYER, finding no further business, adjourned the Senate
Rules Committee meeting at 11:51 a.m.
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