SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE March 8, 2000 2:43 p.m. MEMBERS PRESENT Senator Robin Taylor, Chairman Senator Rick Halford, Vice-Chairman Senator John Torgerson Senator Johnny Ellis MEMBERS ABSENT Senator Dave Donley COMMITTEE CALENDAR CONFIRMATION HEARINGS: Commission on Judicial Conduct Michael P. McConahy - Fairbanks Arthur H. Peterson - Juneau - CONFIRMATIONS ADVANCED Alaska Judicial Council Katie Hurley - Wasilla - CONFIRMATION ADVANCED Violent Crimes Compensation Board Stephen Boyer Wallace - Kodiak - CONFIRMATION ADVANCED PREVIOUS SENATE COMMITTEE ACTION No previous action to record. WITNESS REGISTER Mr. Michael P. McConahy, Appointee Address not furnished Fairbanks, Alaska POSITION STATEMENT: Testified on his appointment to the Commission on Judicial Conduct. Mr. Arthur H. Peterson, Appointee 350 North Franklin Street Juneau, Alaska 99801 POSITION STATEMENT: Testified on his appointment to the Commission on Judicial Conduct. Ms. Katie Hurley, Appointee Address not furnished Wasilla, Alaska POSITION STATEMENT: Testified on her appointment to the Alaska Judicial Council. Mr. Stephen Boyer Wallace, Appointee PO Box 4054 Kodiak, Alaska 99615 POSITION STATEMENT: Testified on his appointment to the Violent Crimes Compensation Board. ACTION NARRATIVE TAPE 00-13, SIDE A Number 001 CHAIRMAN ROBIN TAYLOR called the Judiciary Committee meeting to order at 2:43 p.m. and indicated the purpose of the meeting is to hear the nominees for the Commission on Judicial Conduct, the Alaska Judicial Council and the Violent Crimes Compensation Board. CHAIRMAN TAYLOR called on Mr. Arthur Peterson to discuss his appointment to the Commission on Judicial Conduct. MR. ARTHUR H. PETERSON, Attorney in private practice, stated he is currently serving on the Judicial Conduct Commission. CHAIRMAN TAYLOR thanked Mr. Peterson for the good service he has provided the State of Alaska in his current position and for his past years of service to the state. CHAIRMAN TAYLOR entertained a motion to move the nomination of Arthur H. Peterson to the Commission on Judicial Conduct forward to the full Senate. There being no objection, it was so moved. MS. KATIE HURLEY, Appointee to the Alaska Judicial Council, indicated she had not sought the position on the Alaska Judicial Council but was asked by the Governor to serve. She accepted the position because she felt she could add to and help in the duties of the commission. CHAIRMAN TAYLOR thanked Ms. Hurley for her participation and wished her the best. SENATOR TORGERSON made a motion to move the nomination of Ms. Katie Hurley to the Alaska Judicial Council forward for further consideration. There being no objection, it was so moved. MR. MICHAEL P. MCCONAHY, Appointee to the Commission on Judicial Conduct, stated he has been in Fairbanks and practicing law since 1978. When he first arrived in Fairbanks he was in private practice for about two years and then went to work as an assistant city attorney handling misdemeanor prosecutions. After that he spend about two years working for a prepaid legal trust--the Plumbers and Pipe Fitters. From 1983-1986 he was an assistant district attorney in charge of the area wide narcotics team and he also worked on rural cases. Since 1986 he has been in private practice working in civil defense and worker compensation. His practice is mainly in Fairbanks although he has a lot of cases in Bethel and its surrounding regions. CHAIRMAN TAYLOR thanked Mr. McConahy for taking time out of his busy schedule to participate in the confirmation process. SENATOR TORGERSON moved to advance Mr. Michael P. McConahy to the Commission on Judicial Conduct. There being no objection, it was so moved. MR. STEPHEN BOYER WALLACE, Appointee to the Violent Crimes Compensation Board, stated he has been serving on the board since 1998, when he was initially appointed, and he would like to continue serving. CHAIRMAN TAYLOR thanked him on behalf of the Judiciary Committee for the time he has served and for his willingness to continue serving the State of Alaska. SENATOR TORGERSON moved to advance Mr. Boyer Wallace to the Violent Crimes Compensation Board. There being no objection, it was so moved. With no further business to come before the committee, CHAIRMAN TAYLOR adjourned the meeting at 2:59 p.m.