HB 120-EXTENDING COUNCIL ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE 3:03:21 PM CHAIR WILSON announced that the first order of business would be HOUSE BILL NO. 120,"An Act extending the Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault; and providing for an effective date." 3:03:59 PM REPRESENTATIVE FAIRCLOUGH, Alaska State Legislature, speaking as the prime sponsor of HB 120, explained that Alaska has historically had a very high incidence of rape and sexual assault. She stated that reauthorization of the Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault (CDVSA) ensures a focal point for the state and its communities to address interpersonal violence in the state. Failure to re-authorize the CDVSA will cause efforts to reduce interpersonal violence to flounder, she opined. She stated her willingness to take questions regarding the CDVSA, noting there had been concerns with the 2006 findings by the Division of Legislative Audit. It is urgent to move this bill quickly because the current authorizing legislature requires the CDVSA to begin "ramp-down" proceedings on March 1, 2006 geared to its dissolution, she explained. The bill extends the council's existence until 2011. 3:06:30 PM RANDY MAGEN, Member, National Association of Social Workers (NASW), Alaska Chapter, testified in support of HB 120. He described the CDVSA as a conduit for funding shelters and intervention programs, and stated that there is still a great deal of work to be done to reduce the incidence of domestic violence and sexual assault. The NASW extends its appreciation for the legislature's quick action to extend the life of the CDVSA, he said. REPRESENTATIVE ROSES moved to report HB 120 out of committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes. There being no objection, HB 120 was reported from the House Health, Education and Social Services Standing Committee. 3:08:14 PM REPRESENTATIVE FAIRCLOUGH pointed out that there is a technical fiscal note of $10 million associated with the bill. She explained the fiscal note is because of the ramp-down stage, and that it represents a reduction in funding from last year. Furthermore, it is the amount included in the governor's budget proposal for this year.