SB 62-BOARD OF PAROLE: MEMBERSHIP, REPORT  1:56:13 PM CHAIR BJORKMAN reconvened the meeting and announced the consideration of SPONSOR SUBSTITUTE FOR SENATE BILL NO. 62 "An Act relating to the board of parole; and providing for an effective date." 1:56:37 PM LOUIE FLORA, Staff, Senator Loki Tobin, Alaska State Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, provided a brief summary of SB 62: [Original punctuation provided.] SB 62 will create a Board of Parole equipped with expertise in a wide spectrum of the criminal justice, corrections, reentry, mental health and substance abuse fields. 1:56:58 PM MR. FLORA continued with the summary for SB 62: This will inform parole decisions in a new, potentially more holistic way. It also will help broaden the public understanding of parole decisions by requiring an annual report. The Legislative audit identified that the Board of Parole has maintained extra staff positions provided under the 2016 criminal justice reform act SB 91- so the cost of adding two new board members is net zero if the additional staff costs are transferred. (I rambled off script for a few sentences after this) • SB 62 also expands the expertise of the Parole Board, designating a seat for a person with Drug and Alcohol counseling 80 percent of our inmates have a drug or alcohol addiction issues. • It designates a seat for an Alaska Native Tribal member 40 percent of the incarcerated population are Alaska Natives. • It designates a seat for a professional physician, psychologist or psychiatrist with mental health expertise and • It designates a seat for a crime victim, family member of a crime victim or a member of victim's rights organization • Intent is create a board of parole with relevant expertise in addition to the correctional expertise already found the parole board and that this board will do more to support affirmative parole decisions, with greater transparency. 1:59:18 PM CHAIR BJORKMAN solicited a motion. 1:59:21 PM SENATOR MERRICK moved to adopt the committee substitute (CS) for SB 62, work order 34-LS0227\H, as the working document. 1:59:32 PM CHAIR BJORKMAN objected for purposes of discussion. 1:59:48 PM KONRAD JACKSON, Staff, Senator Jesse Bjorkman, Alaska State Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, presented summary of changes from version N to version H for SB 62 and read the following: [Original punctuation provided.] Summary of Changes  CS for Sponsor Substitute for Senate Bill 62 (L&C)  Version 34-LS0227\N to 34-LS0227-H Sections 1: Delete all material. Renumber remaining sections accordingly. Section 2:Inserts new Section 2, Amending AS 33.16.020(c) by adding a limit of service as presiding officer to one term. Section 3: Amends AS 33.16.030(b) (1) to require the physician, psychologist or psychiatrist board member have experience treating drug or alcohol addiction. Deletes AS 33.16.030(b) (3). Section 6: Amends AS 33.16.080 Establishing the Commissioner shall hire the executive director and for administrative purposes, be located in the of the Commissioner. Renumber remaining sections accordingly. 2:01:25 PM CHAIR BJORKMAN expressed his personal comments on the committee substitute (CS), he collaborated with the bill sponsor and the Department of Corrections to ensure SB 62 has full departmental support, improves Board of Parole efficiency, and clarifies board decisions. He said key discussions include defining qualifications for a victim-of-a-crime board member without overly limiting candidates, considering an ex-officio member to represent victims' interests, and potentially limiting consecutive terms for board officers. 2:04:06 PM CHAIR BJORKMAN removed his objection. 2:04:14 PM CHAIR BJORKMAN found no further objection and CSSB 62 was adopted as the working document. 2:04:36 PM CHAIR BJORKMAN held SB 62 in committee.