HB 214-PUNITIVE DAMAGES AGAINST EMPLOYERS                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
VICE  CHAIR  SCOTT  OGAN called  the  Senate  Judiciary  Standing                                                             
Committee meeting  to order  at 2:00  p.m. Present  were Senators                                                               
French  and  Therriault. The  first  order  of business  to  come                                                               
before the committee was HB 214, version Q.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
MS.  SARA NIELSON,  staff to  Representative Samuels,  offered an                                                               
proposed  amendment  that has  language  from  the VECO  case  to                                                               
define a managerial agent.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR FRENCH said  he worked with the sponsor  on this language                                                               
and moved to  adopt amendment 1. There were no  objections and it                                                               
was so ordered.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
MR. BEN  BROWN, Alaska  State Chamber  of Commerce,  supported HB                                                               
214. "It's  not fair  for employers to  be saddled  with punitive                                                               
damages  for  actions  of their  employees  that  are  completely                                                               
outside the scope of employment...."                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
2:04 - 2:05 p.m. - at ease                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR THERRIAULT  moved to pass  SCSHB 214(JUD)  from committee                                                               
with  individual  recommendations  and the  two  attached  fiscal                                                               
notes. There were no objections and it was so ordered.