HB 53-STATE IDENTIFICATION CARD FOR PRISONERS  3:21:34 PM CHAIR SHAW announced that the next order of business would be HOUSE BILL NO. 53, "An Act relating to state identifications and driver's licenses for persons in the custody of the Department of Corrections; relating to the duties of the commissioner of corrections; and providing for an effective date." 3:22:36 PM REPRESENTATIVE ANDREW GRAY, Alaska State Legislature, prime sponsor, presented HB 53. He paraphrased the sponsor statement [included in the committee packet], which read as follows [original punctuation provided]: House Bill 53 provides easier access to identification cards for reentrants upon release, granting them an important tool for reintegration. HB 53 will require the Department of Administration to issue a state ID to all reentrants who are serving a term of imprisonment over 120 days who would otherwise be released without a valid ID. Individuals are required to present a valid form of ID in order to gain new employment, apply for housing, drive a car, open a bank account, travel, purchase a phone, apply for Medicaid, social security, obtaining medication, and registering to vote. The lack of a valid ID could cause a reentrant to reoffend or violate their conditions of release. Reentry is an essential part of public safety. Ensuring reentrants are supported during their transitional period helps improve community well-being and public safety. By providing reentrants with a valid form of identification upon their release we also provide the individual with an essential tool for finding housing, employment, and medical care, and alleviate the risk of reoffending. In prior legislatures it was determined that HB 53 would add no additional costs to the state. HB 53 may reduce costs to the state by reducing recidivism numbers. Please join me in supporting House Bill 53. REPRESENTATIVE GRAY believed that providing incarcerated individuals with the means to get started on the right foot was the least the state could if the purpose of incarceration was to correct behavior. 3:25:20 PM REPRESENTATIVE STORY said she was fortunate to have experienced the reentry simulations offered by the Juneau Reentry Coalition, which highlighted the need for this bill. She inquired about the language "good faith effort" on page 4, line 15 of HB 53 and asked how that would work. REPRESENTATIVE GRAY deferred to his staff, Mr. Graham. 3:26:15 PM NATE GRAHAM, Staff, Representative Andrew Gray, Alaska State Legislature, on behalf of Representative Gray, prime sponsor of HB 53, explained that "[making] a good faith effort" to help prisoners obtain a valid state identification card went a step beyond the existing statutory language, "assist." He indicated that a forthcoming committee substitute (CS) might address the language in question. REPRESENTATIVE ALLARD asked how many incarcerated individuals were released from custody on an annual basis. 3:27:48 PM APRIL WILKERSON, Deputy Commissioner, Department of Corrections (DOC), reported that 12 percent of the individuals released from custody were released without a valid state identification (ID) or driver's license. 3:28:29 PM REPRESENTATIVE ALLARD asked, "Twelve percent of what number?" MS. WILKERSON said approximately 30,000. REPRESENTATIVE ALLARD observed that there was no fiscal note associated with the bill. She asked how the bill would improve the current system. MS. WILKERSON acknowledged that there would be no fiscal impact on the department. She explained that instead of releasing prisoners with a piece of paper, a recent change to procedure allowed them to release with a card that could be exchanged for a valid state ID at the Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV). REPRESENTATIVE ALLARD asked how the bill would improve those efforts. MS. WILKERSON indicated that the bill would allow the DOC issued card to be recognized as a valid temporary ID. 3:31:00 PM REPRESENTATIVE WRIGHT asked whether the proposed legislation would remove a barrier to individuals being released from custody. MS. WILKRESON answered yes, for reentry purposes, the bill would assist with those efforts. 3:31:44 PM REPRESENTATIVE CARPENTER asked whether the temporary ID was for people who lacked a state ID prior to incarceration. MS. WILKERSON said the temporary ID would be offered to anyone releasing from custody who was not in possession of a state ID. REPRESENTATIVE CARPENTER asked why the applicable term of imprisonment must exceed 120 days. MS. WILKRESON deferred to the bill sponsor. She noted that the temporary IDs would be valid for a period of six months to provide enough time to obtain an official state ID from the DMV. REPRESENTATIVE CARPENTER asked whether a photograph of the individual would appear on the temporary card. MS. WILKRESON confirmed that an official photo was taken at the time of release, which was printed on the card itself. 3:33:55 PM REPRESENTATIVE C. JOHNSON sought to verify that the temporary card would serve as a valid state ID to be used for services, such as opening a bank account. MS. WILKERSON shared her understanding that the intent of the policy was to issue an official temporary ID. She deferred to the bill sponsor. REPRESENTATIVE C. JOHNSON pointed out that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) required valid state ID to fly. He asked whether this temporary ID could be used to get on an airplane. MR. GRAHAM clarified that the intent was for the temporary ID to act as a valid state ID not the Real ID. 3:35:43 PM REPRESENTATIVE C. JOHNSON surmised that the temporary cards could be used to flee the state due to the delayed deadline for Real ID compliance. REPRESENTATIVE GRAY confirmed that if Real ID was not yet required and the temporary card was recognized as a valid state ID, the card could be utilized to travel out of state. 3:36:18 PM REPRESENTATIVE ALLARD pointed out that that once the individual releasing from custody obtained a valid driver's license, he/she could leave the state. REPRESENTATIVE GRAY answered in the affirmative. REPRESENTATIVE ALLARD asked whether this policy was only applicable to people who spent over 120 days in custody. REPRESENTATIVE GRAY shared his understanding that the forthcoming CS would include all people releasing from incarceration. REPRESENTATIVE ALLARD asked whether the temporary ID had an expiration date. REPRESENTATIVE GRAY stated that the ID issued by DOC would only be valid for 6 months. REPRESENTATIVE ALLARD said, "That's a long time." 3:37:40 PM REPRESENTATIVE WRIGHT asked whether the temporary IDs would be provided to individuals whose state IDs had expired while in custody. REPRESENTATIVE GRAY answered yes. 3:38:23 PM CHAIR SHAW announced that HB 53 was held over.