ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE  SENATE STATE AFFAIRS STANDING COMMITTEE  March 23, 2023 3:31 p.m. MEMBERS PRESENT Senator Scott Kawasaki, Chair Senator Matt Claman, Vice Chair Senator Jesse Bjorkman Senator Bill Wielechowski Senator Kelly Merrick MEMBERS ABSENT  All members present COMMITTEE CALENDAR  SENATE BILL NO. 46 "An Act establishing the month of March as Brain Injury Awareness Month." MOVED SB 46 OUT OF COMMITTEE SENATE BILL NO. 28 "An Act relating to workplace violence protective orders; relating to the crime of violating a protective order; relating to the powers of district judges and magistrates; amending Rules 4 and 65, Alaska Rules of Civil Procedure, and Rule 9, Alaska Rules of Administration; and providing for an effective date." MOVED SB 28 OUT OF COMMITTEE PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION  BILL: SB 46 SHORT TITLE: BRAIN INJURY AWARENESS MONTH SPONSOR(s): SENATOR(s) TOBIN 01/25/23 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS 01/25/23 (S) STA 03/14/23 (S) STA AT 3:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg) 03/14/23 (S) Heard & Held 03/14/23 (S) MINUTE(STA) 03/23/23 (S) STA AT 3:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg) BILL: SB 28 SHORT TITLE: WORKPLACE VIOLENCE PROTECTIVE ORDERS SPONSOR(s): SENATOR(s) CLAMAN 01/18/23 (S) PREFILE RELEASED 1/9/23 01/18/23 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS 01/18/23 (S) STA, JUD 02/23/23 (S) STA AT 3:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg) 02/23/23 (S) Heard & Held 02/23/23 (S) MINUTE(STA) 03/23/23 (S) STA AT 3:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg) WITNESS REGISTER SENATOR LÖKI GALE TOBIN, District I Alaska State Legislature Juneau, Alaska POSITION STATEMENT: Sponsor of SB 46. MACKENZIE POPE, Staff Senator Löki Gale Tobin Alaska State Legislature Juneau, Alaska POSITION STATEMENT: Introduced SB 46 on behalf of the sponsor. ACTION NARRATIVE 3:31:38 PM CHAIR SCOTT KAWASAKI called the Senate State Affairs Standing Committee meeting to order at 3:31 p.m. Present at the call to order were Senators Claman, Merrick, Wielechowski, Bjorkman, and Chair Kawasaki. SB 46-BRAIN INJURY AWARENESS MONTH  3:32:19 PM CHAIR KAWASAKI announced the consideration of SENATE BILL NO. 46 "An Act establishing the month of March as Brain Injury Awareness Month." He asked the sponsor to provide a summary of the bill. 3:32:35 PM SENATOR LÖKI GALE TOBIN, District I, Alaska State Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, sponsor of SB 46, deferred to her staff, Mackenzie Pope, to summarize the bill and answer questions. 3:32:46 PM MACKENZIE POPE, Staff, Senator Löki Gale Tobin, Alaska State Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, explained that SB 46 designates the month of March as Brain Injury Awareness Month in Alaska. The designation will attract public attention to the prevalence of brain injuries and highlight methods of prevention. CHAIR KAWASAKI asked the committee for queries about SB 46; finding none he moved to public testimony. 3:33:15 PM CHAIR KAWASAKI opened public testimony on SB 46. After ascertaining that no one in the room or online wished to testify, he closed public testimony. He asked Senator Merrick to read the fiscal note into the record. 3:33:48 PM SENATOR MERRICK read the fiscal note analysis. This bill establishes March as Brain Injury Awareness Month. The administration does not anticipate any programmatic effects to departments as a result of this legislation; therefore, a zero fiscal note for all agencies is submitted. CHAIR KAWASAKI reminded the members that the committee heard SB 46 on March 14, 2023, with participating invited testimony. Finding no questions or comments, he solicited a motion. 3:34:40 PM SENATOR MERRICK moved to report SB 46, work order 33-LS0325\A, from committee with individual recommendations and attached fiscal note. CHAIR KAWASAKI found no objection and SB 46 was reported from the Senate State Affairs Standing Committee. SB 28-WORKPLACE VIOLENCE PROTECTIVE ORDERS  3:35:10 PM CHAIR KAWASAKI announced the consideration of SENATE BILL NO. 28 "An Act relating to workplace violence protective orders; relating to the crime of violating a protective order; relating to the powers of district judges and magistrates; amending Rules 4 and 65, Alaska Rules of Civil Procedure, and Rule 9, Alaska Rules of Administration; and providing for an effective date." CHAIR KAWASAKI noted that the committee heard SB 28 on February 23, 2023, with participating invited testimony. He asked Senator Claman if he wished to offer comments about the bill. SENATOR MATT CLAMAN, speaking as sponsor of SB 28, declined further commentary, but welcomed questions. 3:36:10 PM CHAIR KAWASAKI opened public testimony on SB 28. After ascertaining that no one in the room or online wished to testify, he closed public testimony. He asked Senator Merrick to read the fiscal note into the record. SENATOR MERRICK read the fiscal note analysis. This legislation creates a new type of protective order, workplace violence protective order. Employers would be able to petition the court for a workplace violence protective order if the employee reasonably believes a person has committed an act of violence against the employer or employee or has made a threat of violence against the employer of and employee that can reasonably be construed as a threat that may be carried out at the employer's workplace. A violation of the provisions of the protective order would be the crime of violating a protective order which is a class A misdemeanor. The Criminal Division does not anticipate that the number of criminal referrals created by violations of workplace protective orders would create a fiscal impact to the division. CHAIR KAWASAKI found no questions or comments and solicited a motion. 3:37:25 PM SENATOR MERRICK moved to report SB 28, work order 33-LS0242\A, from committee with individual recommendations and attached fiscal note. 3:37:42 PM CHAIR KAWASAKI found no objection and SB 28 was reported from the Senate State Affairs Standing Committee. 3:38:27 PM There being no further business to come before the committee, Chair Kawasaki adjourned the Senate State Affairs Standing Committee meeting at 3:38 p.m.