HB 291-EXTENDING COUNCIL ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE  3:05:50 PM CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS announced that the first order of business would be HOUSE BILL NO. 291, "An Act extending the termination date of the Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault; and providing for an effective date." 3:06:17 PM REPRESENTATIVE TARR, prime sponsor of HB 291, introduced the legislation. She paraphrased the sponsor statement, which read as follows [original punctuation provided]: HB 291 extends the termination date of the Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault (CDVSA) until June 30, 2028, in accordance with the recommendation of the Legislative Auditor. The CDVSA serves an important public service by developing, implementing, and maintaining Alaska's domestic violence, sexual assault, and crisis intervention/prevention programs in conjunction with authorities in the field, supporting public employers to provide education programs, coordinating DV/SA intervention/prevention programs provided by DEED, DPS, DOC, DHSS, and the Department of Law, creatin DV/SA training programs and standards, and dispensing funds related to services and programs that serve survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence. REPRESENTATIVE TARR discussed the audit report on the Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault (CDVSA) [included in the committee packet] and highlighted the council's primary functions on page 1. 3:11:32 PM CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS welcomed invited testimony. 3:11:48 PM KRIS CURTIS, Legislative Auditor, Division of Legislative Audit, presented the audit report conclusions, which read as follows [original punctuation provided]: The audit concluded that the council generally operated in the public's interest by funding and monitoring Alaskan domestic violence and sexual assault programs and prevention activities. The council served as the central coordinator for related services throughout the state, conducted meetings in accordance with council bylaws, effectively met most statutory duties, and did not duplicate the efforts of other entities. The audit also concluded that the council should improve document retention, access to the Battering Intervention Program database, and timeliness of annual report submission and regulation changes. In accordance with AS 44.66.010(a)(5), the council is scheduled to terminate June 30, 2022. We recommend the legislature extend the council's termination date six years, to June 30, 2028. 3:16:00 PM REPRESENTATIVE CLAMAN believed that there may be a management problem at CDVSA after reading the four recommendations from the legislative auditor. He asked if that was accurate. MS. CURTIS said she would not consider "bad management" an issue. She reviewed the four recommendations and provided additional context. 3:18:51 PM REPRESENTATIVE CLAMAN, referring the fourth recommendation, opined that improving access to the Battering Intervention Program (BIP) should have been made a priority for the CDVSA. He believed that in itself was a reflection of management challenges. He said he agreed with the recommendations made by the legislative auditor and had no problem with the six-year extension; however, he maintained his belief that there was a need for management improvements. 3:20:37 PM REPRESENTATIVE VANCE turned attention to page 29 of the audit, which outlined the first recommendation. She asked Ms. Curtis to opine on the council's plan to reduce the volume and depth of the annual report in order to meet the bylaws and statutory requirements. MS. CURTIS pointed out that the old annual reports were extremely extensive. She said it would be a policy call as to whether a more concise report would meet the legislature's need. She added that, in terms of timeliness, she understood why the council made the decision to reduce the volume. REPRESENTATIVE VANCE asked whether the annual report was viewed by the Department of Public Safety (DPS) or utilized by other government agencies. MS. CURTIS was unsure of who used it. She noted that the auditors tested the annual report to ensure that it met statutory minimums. 3:23:06 PM REPRESENTATIVE EASTMAN inquired about the nature of the vacancies [within the council]. MS. CURTIS said that detail was not included in the audit report. REPRESENTATIVE EASTMAN asked how extensively the financials were audited. MS. CURTIS directed attention to page 9 and clarified that financials were unaudited. She explained that the council's finances were received from management and cited as such. 3:24:34 PM REPRESENTATIVE CLAMAN asked whether unaudited financial information was a typical practice. MS. CURTIS said sunset audits did not touch the financial information. 3:25:42 PM BRENDA STANFILL, Executive Director, Alaska Network on Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault (ANDVSA), discussed the CDVSA and its importance. She explained that the ANDVSA relied on the council to hold public hearings and commission studies; monitor funds to victim service agencies; ensure program compliancy; department coordination; inform the administration; and hold strategic plans. She opined that the Alaska Mental Health Trust and the Alaska Native population were both underrepresented on the council. She urged the committee to extend the CDVSA's termination date until 2028. 3:34:19 PM REPRESENTATIVE EASTMAN inquired about the vacancies that had been referenced earlier. MS. STANFILL deferred to Diane Castro. REPRESENTATIVE CLAMAN acknowledged Ms. Stanfill's continued work on the issue of domestic violence. 3:35:00 PM CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS inquired about the interrelationship between the CDVSA and ANDVSA and asked how the two organizations differ. He sought to confirm that the CDVSA primarily played a funding role while ANDVSA primarily played a coordination role. MS. STANFILL answered yes, adding that the council was responsible for coordination as well. CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS inquired about the victimization study, which Ms. Stanfill had mentioned in previous testimony. MS. STANFILL discussed the victimization study, which tracked rates of domestic violence and sexual assault. She noted that the entire study could be found on the University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA) Justice Center's website. REPRESENTATIVE CLAMAN noted that the study was also referenced in the annual report from the Alaska Criminal Justice Commission. CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS inquired about the strategy around prevention and asked how prevention-related programming was being approached. MS. STANFILL emphasized the importance of identifying each community's "readiness." She reviewed the strategic approach being taken, which involved close work with community coalitions, media outreach, and various programs and violence- prevention strategies. Additionally, she highlighted the Green Dot program, which was focused on bystander intervention. 3:42:50 PM CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS asked how research was approached in terms of efficacy. MS. STANFILL shared her understanding that it involved surveying children and parents and tracking additional information. She offered to follow up with additional specifics. CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS asked whether that was generally accomplished via prevention programs. MS. STANFILL answered no. She explained that other prevention programs were evidence based, meaning rigorous studies had been performed initially to determine the efficacy. CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS sought to confirm that Ms. Stanfill was referring to Green Dot. MS. STANFILL said yes, in addition to Coaching Boys Into Men or Girls On The Run. 3:44:35 PM REPRESENTATIVE CLAMAN asked who ran Coaching Boys Into Men. MS. STANFILL said it was the Alaska School Activities Association (ASAA). REPRESENTATIVE CLAMAN inquired about the pro bono legal services program offered by ANDVSA and whether it was funded by CDVSA. MS. STANFILL discussed the legal program, called the Pro Bono Attorney Project, which was the only direct service program to victims. She noted that the core funding was provided through the Stop Grant. 3:48:47 PM REPRESENTATIVE EASTMAN referenced the alarming statistics pertaining to domestic violence and sexual assault in Alaska and asked whether they had improved. MS. STANFILL believed that overall, an upward trajectory was being made. CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS asked whether there was a country that was regarded for a relative scarcity of domestic violence. MS. STANFILL did not know the answer. She offered to follow up. 3:53:41 PM REPRESENTATIVE EASTMAN inquired about staffing issues and asked whether they were resolved or ongoing. 3:53:51 PM DIANE CASTRO, Executive Director, ANDVSA, reported that staffing had been a struggle for two years. She believed that the staffing issue was pandemic-related in part. She discussed funding, grant agreements, and the technical work that went on behind the scenes to highlight the difficulty of losing three staff members, which wouldn't normally seem significant. 3:59:42 PM REPRESENTATIVE EASTMAN asked when Alaska would see a significant reduction in the high rates of domestic violence and sexual assault. MS. CASTRO discussed the continuum of services. She reported that 80 percent of grant funding went towards victims' services, 5-7 percent to prevention, and 1-2 percent to perpetrator rehabilitation. She believed that significant progress would not be made until prevention and perpetrator services were fully addressed; further, she emphasized the importance of changing belief systems about domestic violence if generational change were to happen. 4:05:26 PM CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS announced that HB 291 was held over.