SB 7-STATE TROOPER POLICIES: PUBLIC ACCESS  HB 255-STATE TROOPER POLICIES: PUBLIC ACCESS  3:43:59 PM CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS announced that the next order of business would be a combined hearing of CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 7(JUD), "An Act requiring the Department of Public Safety to publish certain policies and procedures on the department's Internet website" and HOUSE BILL NO. 255, "An Act requiring the Department of Public Safety to publish certain policies and procedures on the department's Internet website." 3:44:38 PM SENATOR ELVI GRAY-JACKSON, Alaska State Legislature, prime sponsor, introduced CSSB 7(JUD). She paraphrased the sponsor statement [included in the committee packet], which read as follows [original punctuation provided]: This bill would require that the Department of Public Safety publish on their website the department's current policies and procedures related to the conduct of peace officers employed or regulated by the department. The duty of the Department of Public Safety is to ensure public safety within our communities and, as such, the public must be able to easily access the current policies and procedures that requires peace officers regulated by the department to adhere to. 3:46:17 PM REPRESENTATIVE TARR, prime sponsor of HB 255, provided brief introductory remarks. She noted that HB 255 did not include the same amendments as its companion bill, CSSB 7(JUD), which were adopted during the Senate Judiciary Standing Committee (SJUD). 3:46:51 PM KEITH BAUGUESS, Staff, Alaska State Legislature, on behalf of Senator Gray-Jackson, prime sponsor, presented a sectional analysis of SB 7 [included in the committee packet], which read as follows [original punctuation provided]: Section 1: Amends AS 44.441.020 to add the Department of Public Safety shall publish on their website the current policies and procedures related to the conduct of peace officers employed or regulated by the department. 3:47:39 PM REPRESENTATIVE EASTMAN asked what inspired the sponsor to draft this bill. SENATOR GRAY-JACKSON remarked, "I was inspired to bring this bill forward." REPRESENTATIVE EASTMAN asked what inspired her. SENATOR GRAY-JACKSON said she was inspired by recent events, such as the death of George Floyd and others. She referenced [similar] incidents in the Municipality of Anchorage in 2019. 3:48:52 PM REPRESENTATIVE STORY asked whether the changes made in SJUD added the Village Public Safety Officers provision. SENATOR GRAY-JACKSON answered yes. She explained that a second amendment was also adopted in SJUD, which clarified that any confidential information that disclosed the techniques and procedures for enforcement investigations would not be provided; further, that any guidelines for law enforcement investigations and prosecutions would be excluded as well. 3:49:52 PM REPRESENTATIVE EASTMAN asked whether a member of the public who was using the website would be able to see what information was excluded. SENATOR GRAY-JACKSON deferred the question to Lieutenant Olsen. 3:51:09 PM LIEUTENANT ERIC OLSEN, Alaska State Troopers (AST), said the website noted that any redactions had been limited to those that were applicable to AS 40.25.120(a)(6)(E)-(G). REPRESENTATIVE EASTMAN asked, "Are those roughly similar to the exemptions listed in this statute or is there a way of tying those two things together?" LIEUTENANT OLSEN asked Representative Eastman to clarify the question. REPRESENTATIVE EASTMAN asked if the bill were to pass, whether the department would reference, on the website, the exemptions in this bill. LIEUTENANT OLSEN said the department would have to consult with the commissioner's office. He offered to follow up with the requested information. 3:53:16 PM REPRESENTATIVE CLAMAN asked how many pages of policy currently existed. SENATOR GRAY-JACKSON said she had no idea. LIEUTENANT OLSEN answered hundreds of pages. 3:54:22 PM CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS announced that CSSB 7(JUD) and HB 255 were held over.