HOUSE BILL NO. 141 "An Act relating to the Interstate Compact for Juveniles; relating to the State Council for Interstate Adult and Juvenile Offender Supervision; amending Rules 4 and 24(b), Alaska Rules of Civil Procedure; and providing for an effective date." HB 141 was REPORTED out of Committee with a "do pass" recommendation and with one previously published fiscal impact note from Department of Health and Social Services and one previously published zero fiscal note from Department of Corrections. 11:08:20 AM AMANDA MORTENSON, STAFF, REPRESENTATIVE COGHILL This bill would enact the new Interstate Compact for Juveniles into law. This would replace the old compact which was created in 1955. The purpose of the Compact is to ensure the supervision of juvenile offenders and the return of runaways, escapees and absconders. The Compact provides the procedural means to regulate the movement of juveniles who are under court supervision across state lines. The Association of Compact Administrators estimates that the Interstate Compact on Juveniles is used in 20,000 to 30,000 transfer and supervision cases annually. The new Compact ensures that all states will have identical language in their statutes which would help with compliance issues. The new Compact provides procedures for enforcement which the old Compact lacked. The Interstate Compact for Juveniles also provides for the collection of standardized information and information sharing systems. This is a chance for the states to have the means to deal with state problems and enforce state solutions without having any federal intervention. 35 states have already passed this compact. If Alaska chooses not to enact this Compact the state would have to deal with every other state on a case-by-case basis which would cost the state more money than it would cost to implement the Compact. The compact provides for the safety of the juvenile offender and the state as a whole. The importance of this compact cannot be overstated. This legislation is necessary to ensure the public safety and security of Alaskans. It will help ensure that Alaska receives notification about juveniles who are relocated or traveling to Alaska before they arrive here, and will expedite Alaska's ability to send juveniles from here to other jurisdictions. ANTHONY NEWMAN, DIVISION OF JUVENILE JUSTICE, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES, complimented the legislation. He informed that the bill ensures that Alaskan juveniles travelling in and out of state will receive required supervision. Passing the bill ensures that staff at the Division of Juvenile Justice avoid costly and inefficient work. Without the compact, Alaska would be required to develop agreements specific to each case each time juvenile supervision is sought. With the legislation comes a guiding agreement with the 36 other states that have passed similar legislation. The legislation ensures that juveniles who have committed dangerous offences are accounted for and have the supervision required when leaving or entering Alaska. He concluded that the bill was an important step toward helping the division manage these juveniles effectively and to help ensure public safety in Alaska. 11:11:41 AM CAROLE BRENCKLE, ATTORNEY, KENAI testified via teleconference in support of HB 141. She echoed Mr. Newman's support and compliments. She noted that delay of the bill's passage would be costly to the state. Co-Chair Stedman mentioned the zero fiscal note from the Department of Commerce and the fiscal impact note from the Department of Health and Social Services for $45 thousand in general funds. The funding for the note is scheduled in the supplemental budget. Co-Chair Hoffman MOVED to report HB 141 out of Committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes. There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered. HB 141 was REPORTED out of Committee with a "do pass" recommendation and with one previously published fiscal impact note from Department of Health and Social Services and one previously published zero fiscal note from Department of Corrections.