HB 325-DOMESTIC VIOLENCE  1:46:41 PM CHAIR CLAMAN announced that the first order of business would be HOUSE BILL NO. 325, "An Act relating to domestic violence." CHAIR CLAMAN opened public testimony on HB 325. 1:47:35 PM MIKE HENRY, Sergeant, Alaska State Troopers (AST), Department of Public Safety (DPS), informed the committee that he was a police instructor for strangulation investigations and sex crimes with experience investigating domestic violence. He stated his support for HB 325 and summarized the components of the bill. He explained that the publishing or distribution of nonconsensual pornography, also referred to as revenge porn or sextortion, was sometimes used by a perpetrator against household members as a means of causing harm. He added that it was ultimately a means of asserting power and control, which was the primary root of domestic violence offenses. This criminal conduct was being used by perpetrators to coerce or punish victims, he said. He believed that the proposed legislation would provide additional protections and access to services for the victims, such as protective orders; bring additional consequences for offenders, such as mandatory arrests; and accurately describe the conduct. He reiterated his support for HB 325. 1:50:17 PM CHAIR CLAMAN asked Sergeant Henry to comment on a hypothetical scenario in which an individual in Fairbanks was sending "sexting" communications about a person who was in Juneau, which would make the person in Fairbanks subject to mandatory arrest. SERGEANT HENRY shared his understanding that the scenario could be classified as an existing crime within the definition of domestic violence that could be accomplished remotely, such as threats, violating conditions of release, violating a protective order, stalking, elements of harassment in the second degree, and assault in the third degree. He reminded the committee that crimes involving domestic violence must be committed by a household member against another household member. He offered the definition of "household member," which broadly included people who formerly lived together and people in prior spousal relationships. For that reason, he said it was common for domestic violence crimes to occur between people not living in the same household. CHAIR CLAMAN asked whether the definition would cover people who had been on several dates. SERGEANT HENRY cited Section 5 of AS 18.66.990, which provided the definition of "household member." He pointed out that the definition included adults or minors who are currently dating or who have dated in the past. 1:54:25 PM REPRESENTATIVE EASTMAN requested the definition of dating. SERGEANT HENRY was not aware of a legal definition. He referred the committee to the dictionary's definition or the common knowledge definition. 1:55:27 PM KATIE TEPAS, Program Coordinator, AST, DPS, informed the committee that she was responsible for training all law enforcement officers across the state on domestic violence and sexual assault investigations. She stated her support for HB 325, noting that she was considered a subject matter expert, as she had worked in the field for over 20 years. She anecdotally reported on the prevalence of sextortion as a means of control with the expansion of online technology. She pointed out that per Title 18, domestic violence crimes "shall" result in mandatory arrest within 12 hours. If more time has passed, Title 12 provided that officers "may" make an arrest with probable cause. She emphasized that most domestic violence offenders do not stop the violence when the relationship ends. 1:58:44 PM JAYNE ANDREEN, Alaska Public Health Association, opined that the bill would add another method for catching and holding offenders accountable as early and as often as possible with the ever- expanding technology. 1:59:39 PM CHAIR CLAMAN, after ascertaining there was no one else who wished to testify, closed public testimony on HB 325. CHAIR CLAMAN announced HB 325 was held over.