HB 93: VILLAGE PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICERS PROGRAM Number 273 REPRESENTATIVE FOSTER, PRIME SPONSOR OF HB 93, testified on the CS draft included in the committee members packets. (A copy of the committee substitute may be found in the House Community and Regional Affairs Committee Room, Capitol Room 110, and after the adjournment of the second session of the 18th Alaska State Legislature, in the Legislative Reference Library.) He described CSHB 93 by summarizing his sponsor statement. (A copy of the sponsor statement may be found in the House Community and Regional Affairs Committee Room, Capitol Room 110, and after the adjournment of the second session of the 18th Alaska State Legislature, in the Legislative Reference Library.) Number 297 BILL MILLER, PRESIDENT, DOT LAKE VILLAGE COUNCIL, testified via teleconference from Tok saying, "It's a very good bill (HB 93), but also I feel that it doesn't go quite far enough. There could possibly be a requirement in there that positions be developed for a community desiring to have a position of VPSO (Village Public Safety Officer) that meets minimum standards or minimum requirements similar to the following: One would be a population of at least 25 year round residents with a population density of at least five persons per square miles. This would allow for the possibility of having the VPSO in these communities, but not just having them for any little place, four or five people that want one." MR. B. MILLER continued, "Second, for the communities and villages that are not road connected to any Alaska State Trooper office or if road connected, would have a trooper response time of two hours in non-emergency conditions or a half hour under emergency conditions. Also I'd like to question and ask if there would be a possibility of having a bill of some type...that could be introduced to allow for a village tribal course. That could recognize and handle minor infractions with the VPSO and through their own court system...this would alleviate a lot of the pressure on the courts in our areas also." Number 332 CHARLES MILLER, DOT LAKE VILLAGE COUNCIL, testified via teleconference from Tok saying, "I'm also in full support of this bill (HB 93). One thing I'd like to say is I'd like to see more VPSO positions in the villages, especially since there's been such a cutback in trooper funding." He gave an example where a trooper was called at 8:00 a.m. to a village disturbance but did not respond until 2:00 p.m. that afternoon. Number 373 GEORGE COLE, VPSO MANAGER, CENTRAL COUNCIL, testified via teleconference from Sitka in support of HB 93. "It does legitimize the program. It changes it from a budgetary line item in the Department of Public Safety into a real program. I think this will go a long way towards eliminating questions about under what authority do we even have a VPSO program... It provides a mechanism for a yearly legislative review... This bill would provide for the establishment of regulations to manage the program and thus it would provide a forum for changing those regulations that would be initiated by many of the communities involved in overseeing the program." Number 406 THOMAS STERNS, CAPTAIN, ALASKA STATE TROOPERS, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY, testified from Anchorage via teleconference in support of HB 93. He said, "I am the manager of the VPSO program, I've been asked by the Commissioner's Office to speak to the committee in regards to HB 93. ...I think this is a very good step forward for the program and the state." REPRESENTATIVE ED WILLIS asked how the troopers recruit and train. CAPT. STERNS said, "Recruitment is conducted by the non- profit regional corporations... As far as training, once a VPSO has been selected by the non-profits, a six-week academy in Sitka is conducted..." Number 494 KENT SWISHER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ALASKA MUNICIPAL LEAGUE, testified briefly in support of HB 93. VICE-CHAIRMAN SANDERS asked if putting HB 93 in statute increases the liability of the state. CHAIRMAN OLBERG said, "They are already state employees, as I understand it. This legitimizes them within the Department of Public Safety..." MR. LABOLLE said, "I doubt that there's any more increased liability, because I think the liability already exists." REPRESENTATIVE JOHN DAVIES said, "Having the present circumstances is one more liability than if you pass this legislation." Number 528 REPRESENTATIVE BUNDE said, "I assume we have a zero fiscal note and that this simply puts into statute the grants that are provided (already)." MR. LABOLLE confirmed, "This does just formalize the grants that are already in existence to the regional corporations which administer the program." REPRESENTATIVES DAVIES AND TOOHEY MOVED to ADOPT CSHB 93. There were no objections, and the MOTION CARRIED. REPRESENTATIVE BUNDE MOVED to PASS CSHB 93 (CRA) out of committee with individual recommendations. There were no objections, and the MOTION CARRIED.