The fourth special session is off to a fast start and work is progressing on the SB 54, the revision to the omnibus crime bill. Public Safety is an ever-growing concern across the state and I wanted to make you aware of an opportunity to have your voice heard on the issue this evening.
Juneau – The House Judiciary Committee will accept public testimony tonight on Senate Bill 54, which continues a multi-year effort to reduce corrections costs and Alaska’s high recidivism rate. Members of the public can testify from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. tonight from Legislative Information Offices (LIO) across the state or in person at the State Capitol Building in Juneau.
I wanted to let you know about opportunities for the public to testify on SB54 (a bill proposing fixes to crime issues that came with SB91). Public testimony just began and will run until everyone has had a chance to testify (warning: testimony may be limited to 2-3 minutes, so really hit your main points). There is also public testimony tomorrow, Tuesday, October 24th, from 6-9 p.m.
Many Alaskans have railed recently against rising crime and the 2016 criminal justice reform bill, SB91. I, too, am very concerned about the increase in crime—especially the violent variety, but also property violations—and I’ll be voting in this month’s special session to do something about it.
The Governor has called the legislature back for a fourth special session starting at 11am on Monday, Oct. 23. On the agenda is SB 54, the criminal justice legislation, and a payroll tax.
Anchorage – Speaker of the House Bryce Edgmon (D-Dillingham) issued the following statement in response to Governor Walker’s proclamation calling the 30th Alaska State Legislature into a 4th Special Session next month. The Governor is asking lawmakers to consider criminal justice reform legislation and a bill to create new revenue for the State of Alaska.
Juneau – Today, the Alaska House of Representatives unanimously approved Senate Bill 91 to extend the current disaster declaration for the opioid epidemic in Alaska. The bill gives Alaska’s Chief Medical Officer needed statutory authority to proceed with the planned statewide response to the opioid epidemic.
Nothing about my first legislative session has been “normal.” I came to Juneau to fill the seat vacated by the passing of Rep. Max Gruenberg, my first day of work was a 20 hour budget floor session, and now we are on day 116 of a 90 day session as we are working to fill in a $4B deficit. I expect that the legislature will make headlines with some historic decisions in the coming weeks, but today I want to update you on a few key issues.
