HB 290-ALTERNATIVE TO ARREST: MENTAL HEALTH CTR.  1:07:40 PM CHAIR CLAMAN announced that the first order of business would be HOUSE BILL NO. 290, "An Act establishing an alternative to arrest procedure for persons in acute episodes of mental illness; relating to emergency detention for mental health evaluation; and relating to licensure of crisis stabilization centers." 1:07:52 PM CHAIR CLAMAN stated that there were two amendments to HB 290 and, since he was the sponsor of both amendments, he would be passing the gavel to Representative Stutes for the duration of the amendment process. 1:08:43 PM CHAIR CLAMAN passed the gavel to Representative Stutes. 1:08:54 PM CHAIR CLAMAN moved to adopt Amendment 1, labeled 31-LS1513\K.1, Marx, 3/13/20, which read as follows: Page 3, lines 9 - 12: Delete all material and insert: "(1) not to arrest the person; or (2) to deliver the person to a crisis  stabilization center or an evaluation facility as  provided in AS 12.25.031(b)." Page 3, following line 12: Insert a new bill section to read:  "* Sec. 3. AS 18.65.530 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: "(g) A peace officer who delivers a person to a crisis stabilization center or evaluation facility under (c) of this section shall provide the peace officer's contact information to the crisis stabilization center or evaluation facility and, if the peace officer is notified under AS 12.25.031(d) of a planned release of the person, the peace officer shall make reasonable efforts to inform the victim of a crime under (a)(1) and (2) of this section of the planned release." Renumber the following bill sections accordingly. Page 5, line 10: Delete "sec. 5" Insert "sec. 6" Page 5, line 12: Delete "sec. 5" Insert "sec. 6" 1:08:58 PM REPRESENTATIVE DRUMMOND objected to the motion, for the purpose of discussion. 1:09:04 PM CHAIR CLAMAN explained that Amendment 1 was the product of extensive discussions with the Alaska Network on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault (ANDVSA), as well as law enforcement officers. He stated that there was an interest in the domestic violence context of Section 2 of the proposed legislation, which is what Amendment 1 would address. He said that they wanted to limit circumstances when a person could be taken to a crisis stabilization center when there is probable cause to arrest the person in instances where the person is gravely disabled, consistent with the involuntary commitment requirements of Title 47. He stated that Amendment 1 would provide that instead of a broader ability to divert, when there is probable cause to arrest the only circumstances when an officer could take someone to a crisis stabilization center, or an evaluation facility, was if the officer had found the person to be subject for an involuntary commitment under Title 47, which is under the provisions of AS 12.25.031(b). CHAIR CLAMAN stated that the second part of Amendment 1 relates to what happens when a police officer delivers a person to a crisis stabilization center, when that person is subject to involuntary commitment, and whereas other provisions make it optional for police officers to provide their contact information, in the instance of domestic violence settings officers would be required to provide their contact information to the evaluation center or crisis stabilization center. If that person were at some point released from the center, he/she would have to notify the police officer, who would then have to make reasonable efforts to notify the victim of the domestic violence. 1:11:17 PM REPRESENTATIVE DRUMMOND withdrew her objection to the motion to adopt Amendment 1. There being no further objection, Amendment 1 was adopted. 1:11:34 PM CHAIR CLAMAN moved to adopt Amendment 2, labeled 31-LS1513\K.2, Marx, 3/12/20, which read as follows: Page 2, line 1, following "center": Insert "or an evaluation facility" Page 2, line 9: Delete "provider" Insert "crisis stabilization center or evaluation facility" 1:11:35 PM REPRESENTATIVE DRUMMOND objected to the motion, for the purpose of discussion. CHAIR CLAMAN stated that Amendment 2 would provide clean-up language to the proposed legislation, which was the product of Legislative Legal Services working through the process of Amendment 1 and realizing that on Page 2, subsection (b), under "alternative to arrest provisions", rather than referring to just a "crisis stabilization center", it should refer to a "crisis stabilization center or an evaluation facility". He pointed out that the other change would be to change a line on Page 2 of the proposed legislation from "provided the officers contact information to the provider", with "provided the officers contact information to the crisis stabilization center or evaluation facility". 1:12:39 PM REPRESENTATIVE DRUMMOND withdrew her objection to the motion to adopt Amendment 2. There being no further objection, Amendment 2 was adopted. REPRESENTATIVE STUTES handed the gavel back to Chair Claman. 1:12:57 PM CHAIR CLAMAN stated that Carmen Lowry, from ANDVSA, would be offering testimony regarding HB 290, as amended. 1:13:51 PM CHAIR CLAMAN reopened public testimony on HB 290, [as amended]. 1:14:43 PM The committee took an at-ease from 1:14 p.m. to 1:16 p.m. 1:16:49 PM CARMEN LOWRY, Executive Director, Alaska Network on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault (ANDVSA), offered testimony in support of HB 290, as amended. She expressed gratitude for Chair Clamans leadership. She said ANDVSA believes that the intent of the proposed legislation is to decriminalize actions associated with individuals who experience an acute behavioral crisis and to provide help to those people, as opposed to arresting them. She expressed that ANDVSA thinks the proposed legislation supports families. She thanked Chair Claman for allowing ANDVSA to work with him to ensure that victim notification was present in the proposed legislation, through the adopted amendments. She said that ANDVSA will always be looking at how a victim might be able to assert his/her rights. 1:18:54 PM CHAIR CLAMAN, after ascertaining that there was no one else who wished to testify, closed public testimony on HB 290. 1:19:10 PM REPRESENTATIVE DRUMMOND remarked that she had no idea this was an issue before she heard HB 290. She said the proposed legislation would respond to a critical issue in the state, and she expressed her hope that it would pass as quickly as possible. She expressed her understanding that it would delay things tremendously if the legislature did not pass HB 290. 1:19:47 PM REPRESENTATIVE VANCE said she agrees that HB 290, as amended, is headed in the right direction; however, she expressed reservations that the committee has not seen the bigger picture of what needs will arise in the future pertaining to stabilization centers and mobile units. She said that those things would involve a lot of capital and employees. She said that she could see an obvious need but thinks she was being asked to "take a tiny bite of a very large elephant." She explained that she could foresee an issue arising in the coming year in which the Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) might express that it received permission to start the program and needs funding for it. She said that she would like to have a better idea of what will be "needed to make room for," because it is a high priority in the state. She expressed that she would like as much information about the projections of what the proposed legislation entails, in order to fully support the proposed legislation. 1:21:22 PM CHAIR CLAMAN thanked DHSS for its extensive work in getting the proposed legislation to the point it is at. He thanked ANDVSA for its tireless advocacy, which he said is reflected in its effectiveness. He also thanked the attorneys from the Department of Law and encouraged a yes vote on HB 290, as amended. 1:22:22 PM REPRESENTATIVE KOPP moved to report HB 290, as amended, out of committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes. There being no objection, CSHB 290(JUD) was reported from the House Special Committee on Fisheries.