CSHB 215(HES)-TASK FORCE RE: COUNCIL ON DOM. VIOL.                                                                   
                                                                                                                              
CHAIR  BETTYE  DAVIS  announced  CSHB   215(HES)  to  be  up  for                                                               
consideration.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE FAIRCLOUGH, sponsor of HB  215, said that the bill                                                               
will  create a  task  force  to review  the  Council on  Domestic                                                               
Violence and  Sexual Assault,  which has  been indicated  to need                                                               
improvement. The task force will  help retool the functioning and                                                               
mission of the  council, specifically in the  area of prevention.                                                               
20  out of  the last  27 years,  Alaska has  had the  highest per                                                               
capita number of rapes in the nation.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
1:32:53 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  COWDERY  asked when  the  task  force will  present  its                                                               
report.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  FAIRCLOUGH replied  that  the date  was moved  to                                                               
February  should the  bill pass  from both  bodies, and  the task                                                               
force would be meeting during the interim.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
1:33:24 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR DYSON  said that little  boys are assaulted at  very high                                                               
rates in  Alaska as  well, and  shouldn't be  ignored. Apparently                                                               
prison rape rates  are low in Alaska, but that's  the only bright                                                               
spot in the issue.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  FAIRCLOUGH  commented  on   how  rapes  often  go                                                               
unreported.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
1:34:34 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR DAVIS  said that she  supports the  bill, and asked  if the                                                               
money  funding  the council  will  come  from the  Department  of                                                               
Public Safety (DPS).                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  FAIRCLOUGH replied  that it  will, and  said that                                                               
there were  members of that  department available  for questions.                                                               
The council will pay for its  members to travel, but the DPS will                                                               
pay for others' travel.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
1:36:05 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHRIS  ASCHENBRENNER,  Interim   Program  Administrator  for  the                                                               
Council on  Domestic Violence and  Sexual Assault, said  she's in                                                               
favor  of the  bill  and that  people who  work  with victims  of                                                               
domestic violence  welcome any measures  to aid their  cause. She                                                               
added  clarification of  how travel  expense for  the task  force                                                               
will be paid for.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
1:37:56 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  COWDERY moved  to report  CSHB  115(HES) from  committee                                                               
with  individual  recommendations  and attached  fiscal  note(s).                                                               
There being no objection, the motion carried.