HB 331 - YOUTH COURTS AND CRIMINAL FINES  2:44:00 PM CHAIR RAMRAS announced that the final order of business would be HOUSE BILL NO. 331, "An Act relating to funding for youth courts; and relating to accounting for criminal fines." 2:44:22 PM T. TERRY HARVEY, Staff, Representative Cathy Munoz, Alaska State Legislature, on behalf of the sponsor, Representative Munoz, explained that HB 331 proposes a funding mechanism intended to sustain youth courts into the future; youth courts have been an important alternative in Alaska for a little over 20 years. There are 12 youth courts operating in various Alaska communities, and they are the only diversion program available in Alaska District Court that enable youth to have their cases [adjudicated] without it resulting in a criminal record. For many youth, involvement with this form of the juvenile justice system is often the turning point in their lives. The funding proposal embodied in HB 331 would allow the legislature to annually appropriate to youth courts 25 percent of the criminal fines collected by the Alaska Court System (ACS), thus allowing Alaska's youth court program to sustain itself and continue into the future. In response to a question, he mentioned that the DHSS has submitted a zero fiscal note for HB 331 because it simply proposes a diversion of court fines and no new funds would be coming into the system. 2:48:12 PM MEGHAN STANGELAND, Advocate, Juneau Youth Court, in response to a question, explained that as members of a youth court, advocates take on the roles of attorneys, judges, and bailiffs. 2:48:28 PM MADISON NOLAN, Advocate, United Youth Courts of Alaska (UYCA), in response to a question, relayed that both she and Ms. Stangeland are high school seniors. REPRESENTATIVE LYNN remarked that Ms. Stangeland and Ms. Nolan are performing a valuable service. MS. STANGELAND, in response to a question, relayed that she's served in every role in the youth court except that of defendant, that she'd heard about youth courts through school, and that a teacher had recommended to her that she get involved in youth courts so that she could put her skills to work out in the community in a real-life setting. MS. NOLAN said she'd similarly become involved in youth courts during her freshman year as the result of a recommendation by the then-director of the UYCA, and has been active with the program ever since. MS. STANGELAND, in response to a question, said the role a youth serves in is not dependent upon the youth's age, though as a youth gains more familiarity with the program, he/she could be given more difficult roles as he/she continues with the program. For example, a youth new to the program might start out as a bailiff or a secondary judge and thereby learn more about the process before going on to become a defense attorney, prosecution attorney, or lead judge. MS. NOLAN, in response to a question regarding recidivism, surmised that the reason why youth courts have been so successful is that they provide each defendant with a sentence that will benefit him/her, and illustrate that there are positive ways for youth to live their lives. She mentioned that there have been multiple occasions wherein students [who've gone before the youth court] can be seen to have changed their views on life and their behavior [for the better]. CHAIR RAMRAS thanked Ms. Stangeland and Ms. Nolan for their work and contribution to Alaska. 2:55:25 PM DOMENICK DAVIS, President, Executive Council, Bar Association, North Star Youth Court, relayed that the North Star Youth Court experiences recidivism rates of 8 percent for misdemeanors and 10 percent for minor consuming/possession crimes; these rates are incredibly low compared to the recidivism rate of 23 percent experienced by the regular court system. 2:57:08 PM GEOFFRY B. WILDRIDGE, Attorney at Law, Co-Chair, Adult Members, Board of Directors, North Star Youth Court, said he's seen youth courts have a very positive influence on young people, both those who've served on the youth court and those who've come before the youth court as a defendant. Through youth courts, people are encouraged to contribute to the community and to help others, and youth courts constitute a net gain for the State by reducing costs to the court system, and by providing inspiration to Alaska's young people. In conclusion, he said he looks forward to the passage of HB 331. 2:58:45 PM GINNY ESPENSHADE, Director, Kenai Peninsula Youth Court (KPYC), relayed that just last year, Alaska's youth courts impacted the lives of over 3,000 young Alaskans - both those who serve on the youth courts and those who have had their cases heard by youth courts. In conclusion, she thanked the committee for its support [of HB 331]. CHAIR RAMRAS mentioned that the language on page 1, lines 10-11, that says in part, "The legislature may appropriate 25 percent of the fines", warrants some clarification, and that that issue would be addressed during the bill's next hearing. 3:00:38 PM MICHELLE HEUN, after indicating that she supports HB 331, relayed that she has had three family experiences with youth courts: her middle child was a defendant in 2005; her spouse had previously served with the Anchorage Youth Court (AYC) in a number of venues; and another one of children now serves on the Mat-Su Youth Court (MSYC). In conclusion, she said that not having to worry about a continuing funding source is necessary for Alaska's youth court program to continue to grow, and thanked members for their support of the bill. CHAIR RAMRAS, after ascertaining that no one else wished to testify, closed public testimony on HB 331, and relayed that HB 331 would be held over.