HB 101-CRIMES AGAINST MINORS                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
1:03:01 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR GRAY  announced that the  first order of business  would be                                                               
HOUSE BILL NO.  101, "An Act relating to civil  claims by victims                                                               
of sexual  abuse to  a minor; relating  to homicide;  relating to                                                               
assault in  the third degree;  relating to stalking;  relating to                                                               
sexual  abuse of  a minor;  relating  to enticement  of a  minor;                                                               
relating  to endangering  the  welfare of  a  child; relating  to                                                               
indecent exposure;  relating to  sending an  explicit image  of a                                                               
minor;  relating to  solicitation  or production  of an  indecent                                                               
picture  of  a  minor;  relating   to  distribution  of  indecent                                                               
material  to minors;  relating to  the testimony  of children  in                                                               
criminal proceedings;  relating to sentencing; and  providing for                                                               
an effective date."                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR GRAY opened public testimony on HB 101.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
1:03:47 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SAMANTHA  MINTZ-GENTZ, representing  self,  stated that  16-year-                                                               
olds are  still minors because  they require parental  consent to                                                               
take action.  She spoke to  the vulnerability of children at that                                                               
age and encouraged the committee to vote in favor of the bill.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
1:06:19 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR GRAY closed public testimony on HB 101.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
1:06:42 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
The committee took a brief at-ease at 1:06 p.m.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
1:06:52 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE   KOPP   questioned   the  number   of   statewide                                                               
investigations into  issues of  consent that  fall under  the age                                                               
range targeted by the bill.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
KID  CHAN, Captain,  Deputy Commander,  Division of  Alaska State                                                               
Troopers  (AST), Department  of  Public  Safety (DPS),  estimated                                                               
that in 2023, there were 300  sexual abuse of a minor (SAM) cases                                                               
involving children 16 or younger.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
1:09:50 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR GRAY  asked, if  a 16-year-old  reported a  sexual assault,                                                               
whether the incident would be investigated.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
MR. CHAN answered yes, an  interview would be conducted to gather                                                               
more information.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR GRAY  asked how  many sexual assaults  are reported  by 16-                                                               
and 17-year-olds each year.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
MR. CHAN offered to follow up with the requested information.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
1:11:11 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE VANCE asked about  the terms, "child" and "minor,                                                                
which  are  both  used  in  the bill,  and  whether  there  is  a                                                               
statutory difference between the two.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
1:11:54 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
The committee took a brief at-ease at 1:11 p.m.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
1:12:26 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR GRAY said no one is available to answer that question.                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
1:12:34 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE VANCE,  referring to page  4, asked why  there are                                                               
conflicting ages when talking about victims.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  GRAY deferred  to  the  Department of  Law  (DOL), as  the                                                               
question refers to existing statute.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
[HB 101 was held over.]