SB 19-PRISONERS: ELECTRONIC DEVICE ACCESS/USE  4:27:29 PM CHAIR KAWASAKI reconvened the meeting and announced the consideration of SENATE BILL NO. 19 "An Act relating to the use and possession of electronic devices by prisoners." 4:27:46 PM SENATOR ROBERT MYERS, District Q, Alaska State Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, sponsor of SB 19 introduced the following legislation: [Original punctuation provided.] SB 19 was prompted by conversations with the Reentry Coalitions, the Department of Corrections, and members in the other body and has been around in some form for nearly a decade now. It is intended to address some of the main concerns in prisons and to help reduce recidivism. One of the main struggles that prisoners face is with accessing education. Increasing the educational opportunities available to prisoners can improve their employment prospects following release and can significantly reduce the likelihood of recidivism. Allowing prisoners to access educational materials on tablets could have a substantial impact on how many gain honest employment rather than turning to a life of crime. The Department of Corrections supports SB 19 because it reduces some of their administrative oversight requirements and could lead to lower costs. Services such as telemedicine and telephonic meetings with counsel would reduce the burden on Corrections of transporting prisoners and monitoring appointments. With increased interest in rehabilitating prisoners who will be released back into our communities, tablets could provide a low-cost way to provide this option to inmates. The reality is that most incarcerated individuals will eventually be released, so providing them with rehabilitative services while they are in prison is a proactive attempt to make our communities safer when they get released. 4:29:35 PM SENATOR MEYERS continued: These tablets are not intended to be a luxury for prisoners; they facilitate connection to essential services and resources that will help reduce recidivism rates and promote safety on our communities. These are services that we already provide to prisoners but could be doing for lower costs with the implementation of tablet programs. While many services will still be offered in person, providing tablets for prisoners would increase their access to education and rehabilitation programs that will hopefully result in lower recidivism and a safer community for all of us, all at a lower cost than what we currently provide these services for. 4:30:27 PM ASHLYN BROOKS, Intern, Senator Robert Myers, Alaska State Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, provided the sectional analysis for SB 19: [Original punctuation provided.] SB 19 v. N- Sectional Analysis   PRISONER ACCESS TO COMPUTER/PHONE/TABLET   "An Act relating to the use and possession of  electronic devices by prisoners."  Section 1: Page 1, Lines 3-15; page 2, lines 1-31;  page 3, lines 1-20; This section adds an exemption to the prohibition against electronic devices for prisoners. It also adds television show ratings to the list of banned movie ratings. Subparagraph (I) adds additional accepted uses for electronic devices including use for rehabilitative and case plan purposes, legal material access, health care access, or another purpose identified by the commissioner in regulation. Subparagraph (4) adds language that prohibits correctional centers from charging fess for electronic device use. Section 2: Page 3, Lines 21-27 This new section states that electronic device services are meant to supplement existing services not to replace existing services to the extent practicable. Electronic devices may not be used to replace in-person visitation. Section 3: Page 3, Lines 28-31; page 4, line 1  This section adds clarifying language regarding the applicability of the effective date. 4:32:36 PM CHAIR KAWASAKI announced [invited] testimony on SB 19. 4:33:03 PM TERI TIBBETT, Coordinator, Alaska Reentry Partnership (ARP), Juneau, Alaska, testified by invitation on SB 19 and moved to slide 3, Partners. She stated that their partners include eight re-entry coalitions, community partners, that help with funding and management, and state partners that help align strategies. 4:35:28 PM MS. TIBBETT moved to slide 4 and 5, SB 19 Access to Digital Technology in Prisons, and read the following: [Original punctuation provided.] • SB 19 removes a barrier in state law that restricts inmates inside correctional facilities from utilizing certain electronic devicessuch as computers or digital tabletsfor improved access to rehabilitative programming and activities. • The Alaska Reentry Partnership supports efforts to expand digital technology in prisons for vocational training, education, treatment and recovery, reentry planning, housing and employment assistance, telehealth, peer support, faith-based, Tribal, visitation, and more. • Rehabilitative programming increases the likelihood of success in the community after release. Successful reentry means safer communities. • In today's world, people need to be 'digitally literate' for basic functioningto fill out an applications, apply for a job, banking, communication, and more. People who have been incarcerated for decades need basic digital skills to function in today's world. • The Alaska Reentry Partnership supports DOC's efforts to improve digital infrastructure to best provide safe and secure access to telehealth, video teleconferencing, closed circuit education channels, digital tablets, computer labs, and more. 4:37:35 PM MS. TIBBETT moved to slide 6, Offender Returning to Incarceration Within 3 years of Release, and discussed the decrease in the recidivism rate. 4:38:36 PM MS. TIBBETT moved to slide 7, Alaska Re-entry Efforts, and noted a few examples of actions taken that might have had an impact on Alaska Reentry efforts. 4:39:26 PM MS. TIBBETT moved to slide 8, Alaska Data, and recommended a couple reports to look at for more information about recidivism rates and Alaska's re-entry efforts. 4:39:52 PM MS. TIBBETT moved to slide 9, National Research, and read the following: [Original punctuation provided.] State-level incarceration rates are 23 percent lower since 2008. "States are achieving these rates with changes in policy and by increasing opportunities and resources to support employment and connections to behavioral health care and housing." Report from the National Reentry Resource Center, Council of State Governments Justice Center, Bureau of Justice Assistance, 50 States,:1 Goal: Examining State-Level Recidivism Trends om the Second Chance Act Era (2021). 4:41:01 PM DON HABEGER, Coordinator, Juneau Reentry Coalition, Juneau, Alaska, testified by invitation on SB 19 and read the following: [Original punctuation provided.] The mission of the Juneau Reentry Coalition is to promote strategies and engage in activities that serve justice-involved individuals, reduce recidivism, and improve community public safety. The coalition works on barriers and gaps in community services that inhibit successful reentry. One barrier to success that the coalition has been working on for several years is access to digital technology while inside a Department of Corrections facility. Although the Department of Corrections provides computer labs to help with digital literacy, recent history demonstrates that interruptions to traditional access methods are fragile. COVID and lab shutdowns are examples. Yet, during this same time, releases from incarceration continued. Another quick example of current communication barriers is when an individual uses the Securus system to contact the Coalition Coordinator. If the individual places the call collect and a coalition coordinator is not available to accept the call, the system will not allow the individual to leave a voice message, breaking the communication chain and negating any possibility of help. One program that illustrates reentry success through increased access to digital technology is The Last Mile, which was piloted in California's San Quentin more than ten years ago, and is now in eight states. The Last Mile delivers advanced technology focused education such as programming and web development through safe and secure digital stations. The recidivism rate for The Last Mile graduates is less than 4 percent. 75 percent of The Last Mile returning citizens are gainfully employed - remarkable numbers. Senate Bill 19 figuratively opens Alaska's prison doors to opportunities such as pro-social visitation, healthcare, and reentry planning. The Juneau Reentry Coalition urges the Senate State Affairs Committee to pass this much needed bill. 4:45:23 PM MARSHA OSS, Coordinator, Fairbanks Reentry Partnership, Fairbanks, Alaska testified by invitation on SB 19. She told a relevant story and discussed two suggestions related to SB 19. She said first, planning before reentry is critical digital tools would help build transition plans, support staff workflows, and allow applications to be ready before release. She said the Fairbanks Reentry Coalition supports SB 19 and DOC's push to expand tech access, enabling things like applying for IDs, Medicaid, and peer support. Second, access to education while incarcerated reduces recidivism, promotes mental well- being, and gives hope for future success. Staff fully support introducing digital tools and say it will help more inmates complete GEDs and prepare for release. 4:51:30 PM BARBARA MONGAR, Coordinator, Mat-Su Reentry Partnership, Palmer, Alaska, testified by invitation on SB 19 and read the following: [Original punctuation provided.] I have been the coordinator for the Mat-Su Reentry Coalition for the last five and a half years. Our coalition consists of state agencies (such as the Alaska Department of Labor and the Alaska Departments of Corrections), community substance treatment centers (such as Set Free Alaska and True North Recovery), Mat-Su Health Services, Tribal Agencies, non-profit and privet community service organizations. The close community partnerships we have through our Reentry Coalition has made it easier to provide wrap-around. Our reentry case managers start the planning with individuals releasing from incarceration at least 30 days prior to their release. The wrap-around services our reentry case managers provide include comprehensive goal and case planning, housing supports, employment supports, parole/probation supports, and referrals for substance and mental health treatment. 4:52:37 PM MS. MONGAR continued with his testimony: Today, I am here representing the Mat-Su Reentry Coalition in support of Senate Bill - 19. This bill would help to remove barriers that restricts inmates inside correctional institutions from utilizing certain electronic devices- such as computers or digital tablets- for improved access to rehabilitative programming and activities. We also support DOC's efforts to expand digital technology for vocational training, education, treatment and recovery, reentry planning, housing and employment assistance, telehealth, peer support, faith-based, tribal, visitation, and more while individuals are still incarcerated. Early access to services increases the likelihood for individuals to successfully reintegrate into the community once they are released from incarceration and successful reentry means safer communities. 4:54:21 PM CHAIR KAWASAKI [concluded invited testimony. He opened public testimony on SB 19; finding none, he closed public testimony.] 4:55:07 PM CHAIR KAWASAKI asked about the progress of the pilot program at the Highland Mountain facility. 4:55:25 PM MS. WINKLEMAN stated that the Department of Corrections is in support of SB 19 and said the commissioner's office has found the pilot program successful. 4:56:38 PM CHAIR KAWASAKI asked how many units are currently in operations and what kind of device access issues has the facility run into. 4:56:34 PM BRANDON JONES, Superintendent, Highland Mountain Correctional Center, Eagle River, Alaska, answered general questions about the tablet pilot program at the Highland Mountain facility. The facility has enough tablets for everyone, which currently houses just over 300 people. He said the program is going well, the facility is laying the groundwork by providing access to a digital library, DOC policies, procedures, and the inmate handbook. He stated that professional visits are done on separate, non-recorded tablets, and the introduction of electronic mail for friends and family has been very popular. He said facility messaging allows staff to quickly share updates with individuals or the whole population, such as changes to meals or activities. He said the facility is also piloting a digital system for requests and grievances, replacing the old handwritten process with faster same day responses. 4:59:25 PM SENATOR MYERS reiterated the commissioner's testimony. 5:00:15 PM CHAIR KAWASAKI held SB 19 in committee.