HB  62-SEXUAL ASSAULT EXAMINATION KITS/TRACKING                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
1:03:39 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR GRAY  announced that the  first order of business  would be                                                               
HOUSE  BILL   NO.  62,  "An   Act  relating  to   sexual  assault                                                               
examination  kits; establishing  the  sexual assault  examination                                                               
kit tracking system; and providing for an effective date."                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
1:04:11 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
JAMES COCKRELL, Commissioner, Department  of Public Safety (DPS),                                                               
on  behalf of  the  House Rules  Standing  Committee, sponsor  by                                                               
request of the governor, gave closing  remarks on HB 62.  He said                                                               
everyone should take ownership of  this issue and recognized "the                                                               
gap."  He stated that DPS  has taken huge strides in its handling                                                               
of sexual assault in Alaska and  is now on par with other states.                                                               
The  bill  would  create  clear timelines,  he  said,  and  allow                                                               
victims to track their sexual assault  kit to ensure that none of                                                               
them fall through [the cracks].                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
1:05:14 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
LAUREL  SHOOP, Special  Assistant,  Office  of the  Commissioner,                                                               
Department  of Public  Safety (DPS),  said Alaska  has made  huge                                                               
strides in  its sexual assault  examination kit  tracking system.                                                               
The  bill  seeks  to  codify  the  tracking  system  and  provide                                                               
transparency for  victims and assurance that  this very important                                                               
issue is  being addressed.   She urged the legislature  to codify                                                               
the bill.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
1:05:45 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  COSTELLO emphasized  the  critical importance  of                                                               
the bill and thanked the  commissioner for his leadership on this                                                               
issue.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
1:06:19 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE MINA moved  to report HB 62 out  of committee with                                                               
individual  recommendations and  the  accompanying fiscal  notes.                                                               
There being  no objection, HB  62 was  reported out of  the House                                                               
Judiciary Standing Committee.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
1:06:34 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
The committee took an at-ease from 1:06 p.m. to 1:08 p.m.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
1:08:20 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR GRAY  announced that HB  62 was  reported out of  the House                                                               
Judiciary Standing Committee.