HB 366-PFD: EXECUTION /DISCLOSURE OF APPROPS    9:52:44 AM CHAIR MCGUIRE announced the consideration of HB 366. [Before the committee was HB 366 AM.] 9:53:03 AM REPRESENTATIVE HARRY CRAWFORD, Alaska State Legislature, said HB 366 is important to the people it affects. The law was changed a while ago so that some people who were incarcerated couldn't get their permanent fund dividend (PFD), and it was given to about five different causes, like the Council on Domestic Violence. But lawmakers didn't realize that the law took the money away from the children of the offenders. He doesn't know how many kids this will affect, but it may be up to 5,000 children. Some of the children have already been taken into the child welfare system or have been adopted. There are a number of kids who are not getting their incarcerated parents' PFD. This "puts it back on the list." There is a zero fiscal note because it just changes the notice requirement. But in the future, money will need to be appropriated to these children. The permanent fund division gets 35,000 garnishments a year, and it would like them in electronic form. It is now not allowed, so the division handles about 70,000 pieces of paper each year, which won't occur if HB 366 passes. CHAIR MCGUIRE said she appreciates Representative Crawford accommodating that in HB 366 from another bill of hers. It didn't fit into the new omnibus crime package. She said Section 3 was taken out of another bill because it made a single subject violation. It is a civil provision that allows the writs of execution from a court order to go to the commissioner electronically and the permanent fund to pay that out. 9:57:29 AM SENATOR BUNDE said the bill could include game violations, arson, and bootlegging, but couldn't include this? CHAIR MCGUIRE said it has to include underlying crimes, so if all the writs were criminal, then it would work. But since some were civil in nature, it didn't work. SENATOR STEVENS asked if there is any way that a repeat miscreant would receive any portion of a PFD from this bill. REPRESENTATIVE CRAWFORD said no, they will still owe their child support. The bill will not pay their debt in any way. 9:58:58 AM SENATOR BUNDE asked if the offenders have any access to the children's money. REPRESENTATIVE CRAWFORD said it will go to the child or to the guardian. SENATOR BUNDE asked if the PFD division is supportive. REPRESENTATIVE CRAWFORD said they would very much like to see this pass. SENATOR BUNDE moved to report HB 366 from committee with individual recommendations and attached fiscal note(s). There being no objection, the HB 366 AM passed out of committee.