UNEAU – Today, the Alaska House of Representatives moved to extend Alaska’s Council on Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault (CDVSA), while adding two new seats to the board. House Bill 291, which extends the life of the Council to June 30, 2028, and includes new seats to represent the Alaska Native Community and the Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority, passed the House with a vote of 31-5.
“The CDVSA does critical work in our state to support providing both crisis and prevention services to thousands of Alaskans every year. Adding two new seats to the Council to bring the Alaska Native Community and the Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority voices’ to the table is positive because it ensures a wider breadth of knowledge and perspective is brought to the work of the Council,” said Representative Geran Tarr (D-Anchorage), the bill’s sponsor.
“Alaska continues to have alarmingly high rates of domestic violence and sexual assault, particularly in communities that lack a robust law enforcement presence,” said Representative Tiffany Zulkosky (D-Bethel). “Every Alaskan deserves the right to feel safe, regardless of where they call home and it will take all of us, at every level of government, to achieve this goal. This is an issue that transcends partisanship. I am grateful for everyone who voted to reauthorize the CDVSA so they can continue their vital work.”
“It’s hard to overstate the role Alaska’s Council on Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault plays in helping survivors of these crimes,” said Brenda Stanfill, Executive Director of the Alaska Network on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault. “I’m very pleased the Council will be able to continue their work overseeing the variety of domestic violence, sexual assault, crisis intervention and prevention programs that Alaskans depend on.”
