of the House Judiciary will now come to order.
The time is now 1.01 p.m. on Friday, February 26th.
We are in the Grunberg Room, Capital Room 120.
The following members are present.
Representative Underwood, Representative Castello,
Vice Chair, Copp, and myself,
Representative Gray, Chair.
I'll let the record reflect that we have a quorum to conduct business.
I would like to recognize the staff supporting this meeting, so if you attendee from House
Records, Kyla Tupoe, from the Genoa LIO, and my committee aide Dylan Hitchcock Lopez.
We have three items of business on today's agenda.
First, we will hear in second hearing,
House Bill 81, access to marijuana conviction records,
then we'll hear House bill four,
presidential write-in votes,
and finally we hear house bill 262,
number of superior court judges,
all for their second-hearing,
all intended to move today.
As our first item of business,
we we take up House people 81 access
to Marijuana conviction Records
for its second, hearing in our committee.
This time I would like to invite the sponsor,
Representative David Nelson,
and his staff Donna Page to the witness table.
At the last hearing I said amendment deadline of 5 p.m. yesterday. We have received no amendments. Oh, you can sit here, ma'am
We wrote we welcome representative Mina to house judiciary at
102 p m
As we have recieved to know amendments I invite the sponsor to make any final remarks at this time
Excellent. Thank you chair gray and members of the house Judiciary Committee
For the record, I am David Nelson, representative to House District 18, which includes joint
base Elmodor Fritjerson, East Anchorage and Government Hill.
Thank you again for hearing House Bill 81, an act restricting the release of certain
records of convictions and providing for an effective date.
House bill 81 would make certain marijuana possessions convictions confidential on basic
background checks while keeping those convictions available for government agencies and qualified
people.
individuals who are 21 years of age or older at a time of the crime possess
one ounce or less marijuana and we're not convicted of any other crimes in the
same incident would be able to request the Department of Public Safety make
those crimes on their record confidential. Hardworking Alaskans are facing
barriers to employment, housing, licensing, and volunteer opportunities, leaving them less
able to contribute fully to their community. I urge the committee to pass House Bill No. 81.
Thank you, Representative Nelson. Are there any final questions or comments from the Committee?
Thank You. Thank
you to the sponsor and his staff representing the bill.
I'll also say that it just makes sense that folks who are convicted of something that today is not illegal
Should not be held back for that
Issue
Seeing no further comments or questions. Do we have a motion at this time?
Yes, mr. Chair
mister chair
I
at This time move house bill 81
Work order 3 4 dash ls 0 4 7 4 backslash i
be reported out of the judiciary committee with individual recommendations and attached fiscal note.
Hearing no objection, House Bill 81, work order 34-LS0474-I is reported
out-of- judiciary Committee with Individual Recommendations attached
fiscal and attach fiscal notes. I authorize legislative legal services to make any necessary
technical and conforming changes. We will take a brief at ease while we sign the paperwork.
Back on the record, our second item of business is to bring back House Bill 4,
presidential write-in votes, up for its second hearing in our committee.
At this time, I would like to invite the sponsor, Representative Sadler, and his staff, Melody
Wilterdink, to the witness table. At the last hearing,
I set an amendment deadline of yesterday at 5 p.m. We have received no amendments.
I invite this sponsor to make any final remarks at this
time. Thank you, Mr. Chair, for the Record,
Representative Dan Sadner, House District 24,
Mr. Chairman, I appreciate the chance to make a final statement.
I really don't have anything to say.
We had a robust conversation at the last meeting.
I would only say that if this were to pass and become law,
I will look forward to the opportunity
to vote for you for President and the Vice Chair
for Vice President.
Thank you so much.
Are there any comments or questions from committee?
Representative Meenah.
Through the chair, thank you for introducing this bill
I looked at the ballot and it looks like there's space to put another line for the right-in vote
So I think it makes sense
Representative cop yes, Thank You mr. Sadler for bringing this forward
Proud of you
To say that you know
thinking outside the box and I think it does reflect the independent spirit of Alaskans.
Sometimes we just don't like to get put in a box, and we need the ability to express our choice.
I appreciate the spirit. I guess I probably should put the record that this bill can be
by the suggestion of a forensic constituent from former state Senator Randy Phillips.
a long time representative in centers was a good guy too but he had strong
feelings about the subject and suggested that maybe there ought to be a law so
this one's for you Randy. Thank you Representative Sadler. Seeing no further
comments your questions do we have a motion at this time? I do Mr. Chair.
Mr. Chair, at this time I moved to House Bill 4 Work Order 3-4-LS0127-8 be reported
out of the Judiciary Committee with the individual recommendations that attach fiscal note.
Hearing no objection, House bill 4 work order 34-ls01 27 backslash 8 is reported out
of Judiciary committee with individual recommendation and attached fiscal notes, I authorize legislative
legal services to make any necessary technical and conforming changes.
You will take a brief at ease while we sign the paperwork.
From the record, as our third item of business, we will take up House Bill 262,
number of Superior Court judges for its second hearing in our committee.
At this time, I would like to invite Nancy Mead, General Counsel for the Alaska Court System,
up to the front. At the last hearing,
I sent an amendment deadline for yesterday at 5 p.m.
As we have received no amendments,
I invite the sponsor to make any final remarks at this.
Thank you, members of the committee, for the record, Nancy Meade, general counsel for
the Alaska court system.
I want to thank the Committee for recognizing at the last hearing that there is indeed a
need for a new Superior Court judge in Palmer.
I'd be happy to answer any questions.
But surely we come before you reluctantly and are careful with the state's resources, but
could really use this for the residents of the Matt Nuskas who sit in a valley and all
the other residents statewide that it's affecting to be short on a judge there.
Thank you, Ms. Meece. Representative Cobb. Yep, just for
the the record possibly in response to my ask of miss of counselor me that any other
executive branch agency was going to weigh in with a fiscal note the department of law
with a $303,000 fiscal note.
So that is now going to be attached to it.
And for the record, I do support the position,
but seeing that the public defender had jumped on it,
I thought this might be coming, and sure enough, oh.
Thank you.
Thank You Representative Copp.
Any other questions or comments?
Seeing no other questions or comments at this time, do I have a motion?
I do, Mr. Chair.
At this, I move House Bill 262, Work Order 34-LS1312-8, be reported out of the Judiciary Committee
with individual recommendations and attached fiscal notes.
Hearing no objection, House Bill 262,
Work Order 34-LS1312-A is recorded out of the Judiciary Committee
with individual recommendations and attached fiscal notes.
I authorize legislative legal services to make any necessary technical and conforming changes.
We will hold off on the paperwork until we adjourn the committee
because we are done with the business before the Committee today.
Here is a quick preview of next week. We will not be needing on Monday. On Wednesday, we will
hear House Bill 213 data sharing social security. It will be introduced at that time.
We'll also return to House bill 136 railroad utility corridors, which was introduced last year.
No, no, it'll be an introduction of House Bill 230,
negligent homicide, failure to assist.
It will be introduced by Representative Cup.
And House bill 64, surrender of infant safety device
will returning for its second hearing
after being introduced last year.
The time is now 1.14 PM
and this hearing of the House Judiciary Committee
is adjourned.