CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 265(FIN) "An Act relating to the payment of permanent fund dividends to certain individuals required to register as sex offenders or child kidnappers; relating to execution upon permanent fund dividends by civilian process servers using electronic procedures; amending Rule 89, Alaska Rules of Civil Procedure; and providing for an effective date." 7:59:28 PM TREVOR FULTON, STAFF, SENATOR LESIL MCGUIRE, explained the bill's intent to bring sex offenders into compliance with the state sex offender registry. Approximately one out of ten convicted sex offenders in the state is non-compliant with the registry. The bill would withhold Permanent Fund Dividends (PFD) from anyone not properly registered and would allow the Permanent Fund Division to issue the writs electronically. Currently there are approximately 4,200 people on the registry. 8:02:00 PM Representative Nelson asked for clarification regarding the writs. Mr. Fulton explained writs as court orders for the Division to sign over a PFD check to a debtor. DEBBIE RICHTER, DIRECTOR, PERMANENT FUND DIVISION, DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE, explained that a writ is the court document issued when a person owes any debt. It functions as permission for an agency or bank to pay the funds elsewhere. 8:05:33 PM There was a discussion about PFD payment related to eligibility and compliancy. 8:07:04 PM Co-Chair Chenault asked if police agencies have access to the PFD database. Ms. Richter answered that they could if they had a memorandum of agreement with the Division. Co- Chair Chenault stated concerns. Representative Gara asked for clarification. Mr. Fulton explained that a person could not get the PFD if they had not registered or if they were out of compliance. The intent was to have DPS and the Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV), which houses the sex offender registry, run a check. 8:11:13 PM KATHRYN MONFREDA, CHIEF, CRIMINAL RECORDS AND IDENTIFICATION BUREAU, DIVISION OF STATEWIDE SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY (testified via teleconference), stated that she managed the sex offender registry. She explained that there are numerous ways to be out of compliance. Sex offenders are required to register quarterly and can go in and out of compliance repeatedly. Efforts are made monthly to get local police department to locate people and get them to comply. 8:14:34 PM Representative Hawker questioned what the bill would accomplish since most of the people don't qualify for the PFD anyway. Mr. Fulton said that the sex offender registry examined some of the data and found that two-thirds of out- of-compliance sex offenders filed for the PFD last year. There was further discussion about compliance and dividends. 8:18:19 PM PUBLIC TESTIMONY CLOSED. Representative Joule asked about the fiscal note. Ms. Richter explained that all of the funding supporting the dividend program comes from the earnings before they are distributed. Representative Crawford asked who the dividend would go to if it is under garnishment. Ms. Richter said that a dividend that has not been paid cannot be garnished. Representative Crawford stated concerns. 8:22:01 PM Representative Gara was concerned about the Division using resource unnecessarily. Ms. Richter said the identification of people who would be affected would be done through a computer data match. The people identified would be flagged. The Division would be dealing with only a small segment of applicants. There was further discussion about the process. CSSB 265 (FIN) was HEARD and HELD in Committee for further consideration.