SFLR-20260519-1100

Will the Senate please come to order, and will members please signify your presence by voting.

The roll shows 19 members present. Thank you. With 19 members shown as present, we have a quorum to conduct business. The invocation this morning will be given by Father Maxim Gibson with St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church. Members, please rise.

With deep respect for the religious belief of all Alaskans, I offer the following prayer. Let us pray to the Lord. Lord, have mercy. O Lord Jesus Christ our God, accept this fervent supplication and bless the good intent and work of thy servants, that they may begin favorably, they may complete it unto thy glory without any obstacle. Do thou assist those working and direct the work of their hands and cause it to be brought to speedy completion by the power of thy Most Holy Spirit.

For thine it is to be merciful and to save us, O our God. And unto thee do we send up glory, together with thy Father, who is without beginning, and thy most holy, good, and life-giving Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Amen. Thank you, Father Gibson.

Senator Kaufman, would you please lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance? I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Thank you, Senator Kaufman. Madam Secretary, will you please certify the journal? I certify as to the correctness of the journal for the 119th legislative day. Thank you, Madam Majority Leader. Mr. President, I move and ask unanimous consent that the journal be approved as certified by the Senate Secretary.

Hearing no objection, the journal has been approved. Senator Hoffman. Good morning, Mr. President. I move and ask unanimous unanimous consent that the prayer be spread on the journal. Thank you.

Seeing no objection, the prayer has been spread upon the journal. Are there guests for introduction?

Senator Roscher. Thank you. Good morning, Mr. President. We legislators, we rely a lot on our staff. They prepare our documents.

They make sure we get to the right place at the right time. They answer our phones. They make sure that we are where we're supposed to be and have everything that we need when we get there. They're very important for us, and I asked my staff to be introduced today. They didn't want to be here.

They're very— they're hard to get to this room, but I just want you to know that, you know, the people back home need to know who's going to be in the office when we're not, and it's important for them to understand. So I would like to ask if they would stand when I read their name. Asabella Ordez, she joined the Alaska Legislature after previously serving in the office of former Congressman Don Young, where she gained valuable experience in constituent service and public policy. She earned her bachelor's degree in criminal justice and has a deep appreciation for Alaska's outdoors, spending much of her free time hiking, fishing, and traveling throughout the state. She also travels the world, her most recent trip being Costa Rica.

Isabelle is also committed to serving her community through volunteer work at Bean's Cafe. Is known for her love of animals. She has 4 cats of her own and is passionate about helping others. Uh, Annalisa Roberts is in her fourth year serving in the Alaska, uh, Legislature, having previously worked for former Senator Shelley Hughes. She holds both a master's degree in occupational health and safety and an MBA.

Her professional background includes work in government operations, policy administration, public service, as well as several years in the private sector working in maritime and mining industries, experience she now brings with her to the Capitol. Outside of the legislature, Annalisa is actively involved in volunteer work with several organizations throughout Alaska, serves as the volunteer coordinator for Friends of Pets, helping support animal rescue and adoption efforts in the community. I wish you would help me welcome them into the Thank you, Senator Roscher. Further guests for introduction? Seeing none, Madam Secretary, are there messages from the governor?

A message dated May 18th stating, under the authority vested in me by Article 2, Section 15 of the Alaska Constitution, I have vetoed the following bill. Senate CS for CS for House Bill 78 Finance, amended Senate effective date, failed House. Retirement systems defined benefit options. Those are all the messages from the governor this morning, Mr. President. Thank you, Madam Secretary.

Are there messages from the House? A message dated May 19 stating the Senate is invited to meet with the House for a joint session today at 1:00 p.m. for the purpose of voting to override the governor's veto to House Bill 68, Retirement Systems Defined Benefit Option. Thank you, Madam Majority Leader. Mr. President, I move and ask unanimous consent that the Senate accept the invitation from the House to meet in joint session. I think I hear no objection.

So ordered. Madam Secretary. Concur message dated May 18th stating the House passed CS for Senate Bill 9, Judiciary, with the following amendment: House CS for Senate Bill Number 9, Judiciary, Surrender of Infants, Infant Safety Device, and it is returned for consideration with title change HCR 14.

Thank you. Senator Heisel. Mr. President, I move and ask unanimous consent that the Senate concur with the House amendments and recommend that the Senate vote yes. Thank you. If you are ready for the question, the question being Shall the title change resolution, SCR 34— uh, brief at ease.

Will the Senate come back to order, please? Uh, Senator Myers. Thank you, Mr. President. So the other body made two substantive changes to the bill. First off, starting on page 5, lines 4 through 16, we updated the signs that are required to be posted with the infant safety devices when they're installed.

The new signs will both help educate people on the Safe Surrender Law in general and help direct people in crisis to services through either 911 or 211. Second, two new sections, sections 1 and 2, were added to the bill at the suggestion of the Department of Family and Community Services. They provide that surrendering an infant either through the devices or through the already current statutory in-person process will not be held against a person in a civil history employment check. Mr. President, these are both good changes, and I ask the body to concur. Thank you.

Thank you, Senator Myers. Is there further discussion?

If you are ready for the question, question being, shall the Senate concur in the House amendments to CS for Senate Bill 9, Judiciary? Senators may proceed to vote.

The secretary will lock the roll. Do any senators wish to change their vote? The secretary will announce the vote. 20 Yeas, 0 nays. And so by a vote of 20 yeas, 0 nays, the Senate has concurred in the House amendments to CS for Senate Bill 9, Judiciary.

Madam Majority Leader. Mr. President, I move and ask unanimous consent that the vote on concurrence be considered the vote on the effective date clause. Thank you. Hearing no objection, the effective date clause has been adopted.

Madam Secretary. That brings the title change, HCR 14, before the Senate on final passage. Thank you. If you are ready for the question, the question being: Shall the title change resolution, Resolution SCR 14, pass the Senate? Senators may proceed to vote.

The Secretary will lock the roll. Do any Senators wish to change their vote? The Secretary will announce the vote. 20 Yeas, 0 nays. And so by a vote of 20 yeas to 0 nays, the title change resolution HCR 14 has passed the Senate.

Concur message dated May 18th stating the House passed CS for Senate Bill Number 21 Finance with the following amendment: House CS for CS for Senate Bill Number 21 Labor and Commerce, Alaska Work and Save Program. And it is returned for consideration with title change HCR 18. Thank you, Madam Majority Leader. Mr. President, I move and ask unanimous consent that the Senate concur with the House amendments and recommend the Senate vote yes. Thank you.

Senator Wielekowski, will you please explain the changes? Thank you and good morning, Mr. President. The House added a provision that will allow individuals to deposit their PFD directly into a retirement savings account. Clarifies that the Department of Revenue cannot withhold the fee for contributions made into an investment account. This provision is found in Section 1.

Thank you. Thank you, Senator Wielekowski. If you are ready for the question— The question being, shall the Senate concur in the House amendments to CS for Senate Bill 21 Finance? Senators may proceed to vote.

The Secretary will lock the roll. Do any Senators wish to change their vote? The Secretary will announce the vote. 17 Yeas, 3 nays. And so by a vote of 17 yeas to 3 nays, the Senate has concurred and the House amendments to CS for Senate Bill 21 Finance.

Madam Majority Leader. Mr. President, I move and ask unanimous consent that the vote on concurrence be considered the vote on the effective date clause. Hearing no objection, the effective date clause has been adopted. Madam Secretary. That brings the title change, HCR 18, before the Senate on final passage.

Thank you. Are you ready for the question? The question being, shall the title change resolution HCR 18 pass the Senate? Senators may proceed to vote.

The Secretary will lock the roll. Do any Senators wish to change their vote? The Secretary will announce the vote. 20 Yeas, 0 nays. And so by a vote of 20 yeas and 0 nays, the title change resolution HCR 18 has passed the Senate.

Brief it is.

Will the Senate come back to order, please? Madam Secretary.

A message dated May 19th stating the speaker respectfully requests the following be returned: CS for Senate Bill 237 Judiciary amended House and CS for Senate Bill 237 Judiciary data sharing Social Security. Thank you, Madam Secretary. SB 237 will be returned as requested. Madam Secretary.

I have no further messages from the House. Thank you. Are there communications? I have no communications today, Mr. President. Thank you.

Are there reports of standing committees?

The Resources Committee considered Senate Bill 280, Oil and Gas Property Tax, Municipal Tax, and recommended it be replaced with a Resources Committee substitute. New fiscal notes: signing do pass, Senator Giesel, Chair, Senators Dunbar, Wilkowski. Signing no recommendation, Senator Rauscher. Signing amend, Senators Clayman, Kawasaki, Myers. The bill has a further referral to the Finance Committee.

The Finance Committee considered House Bill 246, Special Education Service Agency Defunding. Previous fiscal note. Signing do pass: Senators Olson, Steadman, Hoffman. Co-chairs: Senators Cronk, Merrick, Keele. Signing no recommendation: Senator Kaufman.

The bill has no further referral. It is in the Rules Committee. Those are all the standing committee reports this morning, Mr. President. Thank you, Madam Secretary. Are there reports of special committees?

I have no new reports of special committees today. And are there Senate resolutions for introduction? I have no Senate resolutions for introduction Thank you. Do I have Senate bills for introduction? I have no Senate bills for introduction today.

Thank you. Madam Secretary, please read the first item on today's calendar.

See as for House Bill 280 Finance by the House Finance Committee, an act relating to the multistate tax compact relating to apportionment of income to the state, including the apportionment of income of broadcasters, financial institutions, and telecommunications service providers, and providing for an effective date. The Finance Committee considered the bill, recommended it be replaced with a Finance Senate Committee substitute. New fiscal note. Signing do pass: Senators Olson, Hoffman, cochairs. Signing no recommendation: Senator Steadman, co-chair, Senators Kaufman, Cronk, Merrick, Kiel.

There is a Finance committee substitute. Thank you. Senator Hoffman.

Mr. President, I move and ask unanimous consent that the Senate Finance Committee substitute for House Bill 280 be adopted in lieu of the original bill. Thank you, Senator Hoffman. If you would please explain the changes. Yes, the committee substitute for House Bill 280 makes the following changes. The bill language change further defines the definition of financial financial institutions added in the other body to refer to the description found in Appendix A of the named document.

There were no fiscal changes. Thank you. Hearing no objection, the Senate Finance Committee substitute has been adopted. Madam Secretary, please read the next item on today's calendar.

CS for sponsor substitute for House Bill number 13, Community and Regional Affairs, by the House Community and Regional Affairs Committee. An act relating to optional municipal property tax exemptions for certain long-term rental units, certain mobile home parks, real property rented to low-income families, real property owned and occupied as a permanent place of abode, and real property owned by First-time homebuyers. The Community and Regional Affairs Committee considered the bill, recommended it be replaced with a Community and Regional Affairs Senate Committee substitute. New title with SCR 14. New zero fiscal note.

Signing, no recommendation. Senator Merrick, Chair. Senator Olson. Signing, do pass. Senators Dunbar, Gray, Jackson, Yunt.

The State Affairs Committee considered the bill, recommended it be replaced with a State Affairs Senate Committee substitute. Senate committee substitute, new title with SCR 14, new fiscal note. Signing amends: Senator Kawasaki, chair. Signing no recommendation: Senators Gray, Jackson, Tilton. There are two Senate committee substitutes.

Senator Kawasaki. Thank you, Mr. President. I move and ask unanimous consent that the Senate State Affairs Committee substitute for House Bill 13 be used in lieu of the original bill. Thank you. If you would please explain the changes.

Senator Kawasaki. Thank you, Mr. President. The underlying bill relates to optional municipal property tax exemptions, the ones for firefighters and paramedics, which folks know about. To that was also added hazardous material response service providers who are certified and licensed in the state. And that's the only change.

And there were no changes to the fiscal note. Thank you. Hearing no objections. The State Affairs Committee substitute has been adopted. Madam Secretary, the next item on today's calendar— um, brief eddies.

Uh, will the Senate come back to order, please? Madam Secretary, please read the next item on today's calendar.

CS for House Bill 73, finance, by the House Finance Committee. An act relating to complex care residential homes and providing for an effective date. The Finance Committee considered the bill, recommended it be replaced with a finance Senate committee substitute. New fiscal indeterminate and zero fiscal notes. Signing do pass.

Steadman, Hoffman, co-chairs. Senators Kaufman, Cronk, Merrick, Keel. There is a Finance Senate Committee substitute. Thank you. Senator Hoffman.

Mr. President, I move and ask unanimous consent that the Senate Finance Committee substitute for House Bill 73 be adopted in lieu of the original bill. Thank you. Senator Hoffman, would you please explain the changes? Yes, the committee substitute for House Bill 73 Finance makes the following change. Updates the effective date to January 1st, 2027.

There are no fiscal note changes.

Thank you, Senator Hoffman. Hearing no objection, the Senate Finance Committee substitute has been adopted. There is an amendment number 1 by Senator Wilkowski on members' desks. Thank you, Senator Wilkowski. Thank you, Mr. President.

Move amendment number 1. Senator Wilkowski has an objection. Would you please explain your amendment, Senator Wilkowski? Yes, thank you, Mr. President. This amendment will ensure that disabled and elder Alaskans do not have their special needs ballots rejected because of mistakes made by people other than the voter.

This, this was requested by the Division of Elections and included in Senate Bill 70 introduced by the governor last year, and a similar provision passed this body last year as part of another bill. Special needs ballots are absentee ballots that can be voted when a voter is not able to vote in person because of illness or disability. Ballots are often brought to voters who are bedridden or in a hospital or assisted living facility. The voter representative is required to sign the envelope twice, and the ballot will be rejected if the representative only signs the envelope once This is the only time when, uh, in our election system where a mistake by someone other than the voter can invalidate the voter's ballot. And be— because many poll workers are not adequately trained, or some poll workers are not, uh, special needs ballots are rejected at substantially higher rates than other absentee ballots.

In the 2024 general election, 6.6% of special needs ballots were rejected compared to 1.8% of all absentee ballots. And this is a particular problem in rural Alaska where it's common for poll workers to deliver special needs ballots to elders in their villages. Civic organizations will often have volunteers deliver special needs ballots to Pioneer Home residents, including in my community. And assisted living facilities will often arrange for special need ballots to be brought to their residents. This means that if a person— a poll worker or representative is not properly trained on how to fill out the envelopes, an entire village or pioneer home or assisted living facility can have their special needs ballots rejected because of a technical mistake made by a poll worker, not by the voter.

And this is exactly, unfortunately, what we've seen in a number of instances, and it's been an acute problem in District 38, Bethel, District 39, Nome, District 40, Uktiik, Uktiågvik-Kåtsubiu. In the 2024 general election, 21 of 56 special needs ballots— that's 38%— were rejected in District 40, that's Uktiågvik-Kåtsubiu, and 11% were rejected in District 39, which is Nome. In the 2020 general election, 65, uh, special needs ballots were rejected in District 38, which is Bethel. That's 35% of the total, and 77, which is 45%, were were rejected in District 40 in that 2020 election. While this is a relatively small number of votes, there are only— there were only 1,109 total special needs ballots voted in the 2022 general election.

This amendment will ensure that elders and disabled Alaskans will have their votes counted, and I urge your body's support. Thank you. Thank you, Senator Locascio. Is there further discussion? There was an objection.

Please go ahead, Senator Myers. Yeah, thank you, Mr. President. I'm just a little bit concerned about single subject rule here. The underlying bill is in Title 47, and the amendment here is in— excuse me— Title 15 of Alaska statute. That's a little concerning me on single subject.

Thank you. Thank you, Senator Meyer, for the discussion. Uh, Senator Wielekowski, response?

Mr. President, yeah, we— legislative legal not advise us of any single subject issues on this. Thank you. Thank you, Senator Wolkowski. Further discussion? There was an objection.

Is the objection maintained? No. Hearing no further objection, Amendment Number 1 has been adopted. Madam Secretary?

I have no further amendments. Thank you. Please read the next item on today's calendar.

CS for House Bill number 173, Labor and Commerce, by the House Labor and Commerce Committee. An act relating to occupational therapist licensure, relating to occupational therapy assistant licensure, and relating to an occupational therapist licensure Compact. The Finance Committee considered the bill, recommended it be replaced with a Finance Senate Committee substitute, new title with SCR 27, new fiscal note. Signing do pass, Senators Olson, Hoffman, co-chairs. Signing no recommendation, Senator Steadman, co-chair, Senators Kaufman, Cronk, Merrick, Keel.

There is a Finance Senate Committee substitute. Thank you. Senator Hoffman. Mr. President, I move and ask unanimous I move to consent that the Senate Finance Committee substitute for House Bill 173 be adopted in lieu of the original bill. Thank you, Senator Hoffman.

And if you would please explain the changes. Mr. President, the committee substitute for House Bill 173 Finance makes the following changes. The bill language changes adds an executive administrator to the state's physical therapy and occupational Occupational Therapy Board. Adds cleanup language to authorize the Department of Public Safety to conduct both state and national criminal history record checks for individuals seeking and exercising license compact privileges as audiologists, speech language therapists, physical therapists, and PT assistants. And finally occupational therapists and OT assistants.

The note from DCCED was updated to reflect the new executive administrator position and the additional cost needed to reclassify the existing position to the new position. This increase is $52,700.

Dollars funded by program receipts.

Thank you, Senator Hoppin Hairy. No objection. The Senate Finance Committee substitute has been adopted.

There is an amendment by Senator Bjorkman on members' desks. Thank you, Senator Bjorkman. Thank you, Mr. President. I move Amendment 1.

Has been an objection. Senator Bjorkman, please explain your amendment. Thank you very much. Amendment number 1 to this item, House Bill 173, simply updates the scope of practice laid out in our statutes to what people would expect occupational therapists and physical therapists to be able to do. Currently, if someone gets hurt, occupational therapists and physical therapists are allowed under the current law to kind of work on the hurt part of your body, but not necessarily work on parts of, of your body or skills that would help you compensate for you being hurt.

Let's just say you hurt your left leg. Well, currently under the scope of practice, an OT or a PT could help you work on your left leg, but maybe not your right leg, or other muscles in your body, or other things that would help you compensate for your left leg being hurt. Very simply, Mr. President, this is what this amendment does. It was moving, um, this language, the OTPT scope of practice, was moving in another bill, but it got stripped out accidentally. This simply puts the OTPT language with the other OTPT stuff in the compact bill.

I urge members vote yes. Thank you. Thank you, Senator Bjorkman. Is there further discussion? Privetis.

Seneca MacArthur, please. Uh, Senator Bjorkman has explained his amendment. Is there further discussion?

Is the objection maintained? Hearing no further objection, if you are— oh, brief, brief at ease.

Senate, come back to order, please. Madam Secretary. I have no further amendments to House Bill 173. Thank you, Madam Secretary. Please read the next item on today's calendar.

House Bill 110 is not in the Senate's possession.

House Bill 193 is not in the Senate's possession. House Bill 195— is not in the Senate's possession. Thank you, Madam Secretary. Please read then the next item on today's calendar.

Brief at ease.

Will the Senate, uh, please come back to order. Madam Majority Leader, I move that we go back up the calendar to Standing Committee Reports. Thank you. Without objection, we are up the calendar to Standing Committee Reports. Madam Secretary, the Finance Committee considered CS for House Bill 239, Judiciary, criminally negligent homicide, failure to assist, and recommended it be replaced with a Finance Senate Committee substitute.

New title with SCR 22. New fiscal indeterminate and zero fiscal notes. Previous fiscal and zero fiscal notes. Signing do pass: Senators Steadman, Hoffman, co-chairs. Senators Kaufman, Cronk, Merrick, Keel.

Signing no recommendation: Senator Olson, co-chair. The bill has no further referral. The bill is in the Rules Committee. The Rules Committee has placed the bill on today's calendar. I have no further standing committee reports at this moment, Mr. President.

Thank you, Madam Secretary. Then we are now back into today's calendar. We'll take a brief at ease.

Will the Senate come back to order, please? Madam Secretary, please read the next item on today's calendar.

CS for House Bill 239, Judiciary, by the House Judiciary Committee, an act relating to criminally negligent homicide relating to the duty of an operator in immediately after an accident and providing for an effective date. The Finance Committee considered the bill, recommended it be replaced with a Finance Senate Committee substitute, new title with SCR 22, new fiscal, indeterminate and zero fiscal notes, previous fiscal and zero fiscal notes.

Signing do pass: Senators Steadman, Hoffman. Co-chairs: Senators Kaufman, Cronk, Merrick, Kiel. Signing no recommendation: Senator Olson. Co-chair: Previous to the Finance Committee, the Judiciary Committee had considered the bill and recommended it be replaced with a Judiciary Senate committee substitute. New fiscal and zero fiscal notes: previous zero fiscal note.

Signing do pass: Clemon, Chair, signing no recommendation. Senators Tobins, Stevens, Tilton. There are 2 Senate committee substitutes. Thank you. Senator Hoffman.

Thank you, Mr. President. I move and ask unanimous consent that the Senate Finance Committee substitute be adopted in lieu of the original bill. Thank you. Senator Hoffman, would you please explain the changes? Yes, Mr. President.

The committee substitute for Senate Bill 239 Finance makes the following changes. In the language— the language changes adds definitions to the section on theft in the third degree for first authorizing depositories, second mailing, third mailing receptacles, and fourth postage. Adds an exemption for a tech employee or contractor whose sole job is to seek and destroy child sexual abuse material or obscene generated, CSAM, from the offenses of distributing these materials if they are doing so only in the course of doing their job, expands the Border Patrol from parole from 5 members to 7 and adds a 2-year limit. Additionally, there must be one licensed physician, psychologist, or psychiatrist; one member with experience in the field of criminal justice; one member with personal or professional experience with drug or alcohol addiction; one member of a federally recognized tribe; Adds the age at the time of offense among items taken into consideration by the parole board when deciding on discretionary parole. Updates the eligibility for and advocation of medical release for services or sentencing of electronic monitoring.

They must have a terminal, permanent, or progressively degenerated medical condition and prohibits anyone convicted of beastly sexually exploitation of a minor or sexual abuse of a minor from being eligible for medical reasons— medical release. Establishes and addresses confidentiality program within the Department of Administration. The program is meant to protect the privacy of certain eligible individuals who wish to enroll in the program, such as victims of domestic violence or stalking, a peace officer, correctional officer, or family member of an eligible individual. Adds a tribal liaison to the Department of Corrections Commissioner's Office to facilitate collaboration internally related to cultural programs and processes as well as externally with tribes and community— communities of state. The fiscal note changes, Mr. President, adds a new fiscal note created by the conference committee for the Department of Corrections for new tribal liaison position, $168,900 UGF.

Expands the Border Patrol parole, $121,100 UGF. The Department of Administration to start up the Address Confidentiality Program, $123,400 in UGF. Those are the changes, Mr. President. Thank you, Senator Hoffman. Hearing no objection, the Senate Finance Committee substitute has been adopted.

Madam Majority Leader. Mr. President, I move and ask unanimous consent that the bill be considered engrossed, advanced to third reading, and placed on final passage. Thank you. Senator Clayman. Thank you, Mr. President.

House Bill 239, the Consolidated Public Safety Bill was first worked on in the Senate Judiciary Committee. It has been a bipartisan effort that includes a number of public safety priorities. There were a number of vetted pieces of introduced legislation included from the other body as well as from this body, as well as additional public safety priorities advocated by stakeholders and members of the legislature. Hospital 239—. Brief, brief, brief.

Okay, now can you hear me? So we got a little out of order there. So what we have done is Senator Giesel has made a motion to to have the bill considered in gross, advanced to third reading, and placed on final passage with no objection. That is so ordered. And then, Madam Secretary, if you read the bill for the third time.

Senate CS for CS for House Bill 239, Finance. An act relating to crime and criminal procedure relating to civil claims by victims of sexual abuse of a minor relating to homicide, relating to assault, relating to sexual assault, relating to stalking, relating to sexual abuse of a minor, relating to enticement and unlawful exploitation of a minor, relating to cruelty to animals, relating to endangering the welfare of a child, relating to indecent exposure, relating to theft, relating to generated obscene child sexual abuse material, relating to sending an explicit image of a minor, relating to solicitation or production of an indecent picture of a minor, relating to distribution distribution of indecent material to minors relating to prostitution, relating to the Controlled Substances Advisory Committee, relating to the testimony of children in criminal proceedings, relating to sentencing, relating to sexual assault examination kits, restricting, restricting the release of certain records of convictions, relating to teaching certificates, relating to the definition of victim counseling center for disclosure of certain communications concerning sexual assault or domestic relating to motor vehicle offenses, relating to the Board of Parole, relating to parole, relating to medical release for service of sentence by electronic monitoring, relating to licensing of school bus drivers, creating and relating to the Address Confidentiality Program, and providing for an effective date. Thank you, Madam Secretary. Just to remind everyone, the Constitution requires us to read it for a third time. So now we are going to send a claimant to defend the bill.

Thank you, Mr. President. In the abundance of not being too long-winded in these discussions, I will reference my introductory comments before we heard the bill. House Bill 239, criminally negligent homicide failure to assist, is legislation that requires offenders convicted of criminally negligent homicide to have a consecutive term of imprisonment for each additional a criminal crime of failure to stop and render aid under Alaska Statutes 28-35-050 and 06-0. Creates a Class B felony for failure to render assist when a crash involves injury. It elevates to a Class A felony when there is an accident that causes death and the person fails to stop and render aid.

House Bill 101, Crimes Against Minors, Age of Consent to 18, is legislation aligning Alaska's child protection statutes with the legal standard for the legal age of 18. It raises the age threshold of consent from 16 to 18 for over 24 criminal offense provisions. Senate Bill 247, Generated Obscene Child Sex Abuse Material. The legislation criminalizing generated obscene child sex abuse material, often called CSAM, including AI-generated CSAM. The bill aligns generated obscene CSAM sentencing limits and presumptions on par with distribution or possession of child sexual abuse material.

It makes it a crime to distribute or possess generated obscene CSAM materials. Also includes Senate House Bill 242, sexual assault by a healthcare worker. It strengthens first-degree sexual assault laws by a healthcare worker, making it a make it a crime for a healthcare worker to engage in sexual penetration or sexual contact with a patient during the course of professional treatment, regardless of a victim's awareness. This particular piece of legislation is, is a response to concerns that have arisen in Juneau relating to a criminal prosecution involving a chiropractor who was engaging in sexual contact with patients in circumstances that I think is offensive and disturbing to everyone. And this will close that— we didn't realize there was that gap in the law, but we're closing the gap.

It also includes House Bill 62, which amends— involving sex assault examination kits, amends the rights of victims to be notified of location and testing date of sexual assault examination kits and provides definitive timelines for gathering and submission of that testing information to the laboratory and for the testing to occur. Includes House Bill 81, legislation restricting the lease of crimin— the release of criminal justice information regarding old marijuana convictions when the offender was convicted of 1 or less ounce of marijuana, was 21 years of age or older at the time of the offense, and was not convicted of any other crime since then, and involves marijuana convictions that occurred at a time when marijuana was illegal before it became legal to possess. It also includes Senate Bill 62 provisions regarding the Board of Parole. The bill restructures Alaska's Board of Parole and adds new reporting requirements. It expands the Board of Parole from 5 to 7 members, all appointed by the governor and subject to confirmation by a by a majority of members of the legislature.

Board members serve a staggered 5-year term and members are limited to 2 terms of service. The board consists of 1 licensed physician, a psychologist or psychiatrist, 1 crime victim, family member of a victim, or a member of a victim's advocacy group, 1 member with experience providing drug or alcohol addiction recovery support, and a person with— or a person with pure— with addiction and one member of a federally recognized tribe in Alaska. The bill also includes provisions from Senate Bill 100 establishing mail theft as third-degree theft, which has been a particular concern in parts of the state, including the Matsu Borough. It includes provisions from Senate Bill 31 about administration of a new address confidentiality program under AS4421-022, establishing and administering the program, designates post office boxes for enrollees, and forwards mail from confidential post office boxes to the enrollee's residential address, P.O. Box, school, work, or address specified by the enrollee.

It defines individuals eligible and not eligible for confidential programs and establishes enrollment and withdrawal processes and provides a number of definitions. It also includes from House Bill 384 the definition of victim counseling center. It expands victim counseling center, the definition, and amends Alaska statutes for Alaska's domestic violence and sexual assault provisions to expand the definition of a victim counseling center to include a tribal organization and extending confidentiality protections to their clients. Also includes Senate Bill 17, legislation creating the offense of airbag fraud and establishing it as a crime. And Senate Bill 233, legislation moving the Controlled Substance Advisory Committee from under the Department of Law to under the Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development.

What we discovered was that— if we didn't know it before, that that provision was a prior Consolidated Crime and Public Safety Bill from, I believe, 2018, when we created the Controlled Substance Advisory Committee to, to address controlled substances. That the Department of Law is very good at trying cases and organizing trials. They're not so good at running committee meetings. And the Department of Community and Commerce, Community and Economic Development, is actually quite good at organizing those kinds of meetings. It also includes some some portions in legislation allowing for people in a medical release or significant medical treatment and limits in the Department of Corrections to serve their sentence under electronic monitoring remaining under constant supervision of the Department of Corrections.

We've made some corrections about criminalizing knowing, possession, or accessing obscene material depicting bestiality on a computer to match up with other animal cruelty laws. And we also adjusted the age of prostitution so the sellers of prostitution who are under 18 cannot be prosecuted for the crime. Just a couple of notes in conclusion. I think we— every day I work to both improve public safety and make wise use of our public safety resources. And there is a stack of a number of fiscal notes that comes with this bill.

Some are indeterminate and some have costs. And I think it's really important when we make these changes to public safety that changing the statutes is not enough. Sometimes it calls on us to have more prosecutors, more police, and more people in the field to actually enforce these crimes. And, and I— what I hear consistently from the public when we look at these public safety measures is, who's going to be there to enforce these laws? This is This is an example in which the fiscal notes reflect that this bill will cost money, but the public really believes in it and they want these measures to take place and they want our public safety professionals to go and do the things they need to enforce these laws.

So for all those reasons, Mr. President, I encourage a yes vote on this very important piece of legislation. Thank you. Thank you, Senator Clayman. Is there further discussion?

Please, Senator Kaufman. Thank you. I just want to acknowledge what a tremendous piece of work this was.

This is really representative. We hear of sausage-making in the legislative process. This is a big piece of sausage, and having seen it in Senate Finance, I was, A, impressed with the content, the quality of how so many things came together and it came together so well. And then as well, the last iterative processes we did in Senate Finance where as a committee we were able to get input in and tweak a few things. And I think it's ended up being a remarkable piece of legislation.

And so I just want to thank the member to the left of me for his work and also for the what I found to be a collaborative process with the input that I wanted to put in. With that, I'd like to be shown as a cross-sponsor on this bill. Without objection, so ordered. Senator Kaufman, as well as Senator Yuntz, Senator Wielechowski, Senator Bjorkman, Senator Tobin, Senator Dunbar, Senator Cronk, Senator Kawasaki, Senator Giesel, Senator Gray Jackson, Senator Tobin, Senator Steadman. I'm sorry, Senator Tilton, Senator Tilton, Senator Steadman, Senator Rauscher, and Senator Stevens.

Very well. Is there further discussion? Senator Kawasaki. Thank you, Mr. President. Mr. President, in these late hours we always get bills like this.

This is not unlike former omnibus bills we've had at every 2-year cycle. And I just wanted to thank the Judiciary Committee chair for making sure that this bill came through. But I did want to say that, you know, despite the exhaustive research that was done, there are bills that are put into this bill that were just introduced at the beginning of the year. There's policies that were introduced in the other chamber at the beginning of April. There are some other items that are considered from the Department of Corrections directly or from the Department of Public Safety directly that are part of this bill.

Obviously, this will overwhelmingly pass, and I do appreciate the good work that the Senate Judiciary Chairman made. I just wanted to make sure that if there were mistakes, we because it's such a big bill that we will come back and hopefully fix them later. But, um, this is, uh, again, it came from a 4-page bill to an 80 or so page bill overnight. And, and I don't sit on a committee where this is seen, and so I sit on the resource track. And so, you know, we see resource bills, but we don't see crime bills on our side.

And so I'm one of the people who did not get to see this bill, but I appreciated the work of the folks who did. Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you, Senator Kawasaki. Further discussion? And wrap up, Senator Clayman?

Fine. If you are ready for the question, question being, shall Senate CS for CS for House Bill 239 Finance pass the Senate? Senators may proceed to vote.

The Secretary will lock the roll. Do any Senators wish to change their vote? The Secretary will announce the vote. 20 Yeas, 0 nays. And so by a vote of 20 yeas to 0 nays, Senate CS for CS for House Bill 239 Finance has passed the Senate.

Madam Majority Leader. Mr. President, I move and ask unanimous consent that the vote on the bill be considered the vote on the effective date clause. Hearing no objection. Motion, the effective date clause has been adopted. Madam Secretary.

That brings the title change SCR 22 before the Senate on final passage. Thank you. If you are ready for the question, the question being, shall the title change resolution SCR 22 pass the Senate? Senators may proceed to vote.

The Secretary will lock the roll. Do any Senators wish to change Those who wish to change their vote, the Secretary will announce the vote. 20 Yeas, 0 nays. And so by a vote of 20 yeas and 0 nays, the title change resolution SCR 22 has passed the Senate.

And at this point, a motion to recess. Mr. President, I move and ask unanimous consent that the Senate stand in recess subject to the call of the Chair. Thank you. We are in recess to call on the chair.