SB 115-ADDRESS CONFIDENTIALITY PROGRAM  4:22:49 PM CHAIR SHOWER announced the consideration of SENATE BILL NO. 115 "An Act relating to confidentiality of information; relating to the duties of the Department of Administration; creating an address confidentiality program; and providing for an effective date." He stated that the bill was heard last year, public testimony was heard and closed, and his intention was to move the bill from committee. He asked the sponsor if he had any final comments. 4:23:13 PM JESSE KIEHL, Alaska State Legislature, Juneau Alaska, sponsor of SB 115, recapped that the bill creates a safe confidential address whereby a survivor of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking may receive their mail without risk that their new home address or post office box could be discovered by their former abuser. This would also be available to law enforcement and correctional officers who may want to protect their personal addresses. CHAIR SHOWER noted who was available to answer questions. SENATOR REINBOLD said she likes the bill, but wanted him to know that she intended to offer an amendment on the floor to ensure that victims may be part of the hearing process if that is their wish. 4:24:55 PM SENATOR KAWASAKI asked whether the definition of "correctional officer" in Section 4 would include anybody employed at a correctional facility. SENATOR KIEHL replied the intention was to include both state and municipal correctional officers. SENATOR KAWASAKI asked if that would include all staff positions in a correctional facility. SENATOR KIEHL replied the bill was drafted specifically to include correctional officers whose primary duty is to provide custody, care, security, control, and discipline. That matches definitions in other sections of statute relating to correctional officers and those are the individuals who have expressed concern about the potential for retribution against their families. CHAIR SHOWER asked him to relay how many individuals this might include. 4:26:37 PM SENATOR KIEHL stated that his office looked at other states and found that surprisingly few survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking took advantage of a similar option. Mostly it was survivors who had decided to start over in another place. Based on that data and adjusted for population, the estimate is that this program may serve 400-600 survivors. Of the more than 600 correctional officers who would qualify, most likely will not choose this option because they have an online presence of some kind and don't want to pick up and start their lives somewhere else. He opined that it will be people early in their public safety career who have heeded the advice to protect their personal address and not create an online presence who will choose this option. 4:28:25 PM SENATOR HOLLAND asked for confirmation that the mail would not be screened. Rather, the intention is merely to protect information about survivors or correctional officers in the program. SENATOR KIEHL replied the bill gives the Department of Administration (DOA) a lot of latitude to structure the program. He was not aware of any state with a similar program that screens the mail and it certainly is not opened. He added that it is very common to only forward first class, registered, and certified mail. Registered voters would receive their ballot but not the campaign fliers. SENATOR HOLLAND asked for confirmation that the mail would be received and dispersed from a central point. 4:29:38 PM SENATOR KIEHL replied his understanding is that other states have a single, central post office box. Shared Services within DOA already has a PO Box, but he didn't know if that box would be used or an additional one opened. Nevertheless, all participants would have the same PO Box and staff that run the address protection program would sort and periodically forward the first class, registered, and certified mail to the program participants. CHAIR SHOWER observed that the fiscal note is indeterminate because the number of participants has not been established. However, it will not be thousands, he said. SENATOR KIEHL thank the committee for considering the bill. CHAIR SHOWER solicited a motion. 4:30:39 PM SENATOR REINBOLD moved to report SB 115, work order 32-LS0380\I, from committee with individual recommendations and attached fiscal note(s). CHAIR SHOWER found no objection and SB 115 was reported from the Senate State Affairs Standing Committee.