FAIRBANKS — The state House and Senate gaveled into their fourth special session at 11 a.m. Monday. On the docket is Senate Bill 54, a public safety bill aimed at reducing Alaska’s skyrocketing crime rates, and Senate Bill 4001, a payroll tax introduced by Gov. Bill Walker last month.
As the House entered its floor session Monday afternoon, it was clear there was significant disagreement on how to proceed with SB 54. The Senate passed its own version of the bill in April.
House Republicans shared concerns that the crime bill appeared to be on the fast track for passage, thus rushing the legislative process, skating over proper vetting of the bill and depriving the public of enough testimony time.
“This is the biggest issue facing my constituents in Anchorage. Crime is out of control,” said House Minority Leader and Anchorage Republican Rep. Charisse Millet. “I believe that this bill deserves a full vetting. Shortchanging the public by passing this bill in a very quick manner I think doesn’t serve this body or the public very well.”
Wasilla Republican Rep. David Eastman, Big Lake Republican Rep. Mark Neuman, Wasilla Republican Rep. DeLena Johnson and Eagle River Republican
Rep. Dan Saddler also voiced objection to the bill.
Others emphasized time was of the essence and the issue of increased crime in Alaska was too important not to address right away.
“Many of us have attended town halls on this matter. The public will be allowed to testify, of course they will be allowed to testify,” said Anchorage Democrat Rep. Andy Josephson. “Frankly, if we don’t adopt this resolution, are we saying that any concerns will just fester and wait until January or February? Is that what the dissenters would want?”
Majority Leader and Anchorage Democrat Rep. Chris Tuck shared Josephson’s concern.
“I think we can also consent that crime is on the rise,” Tuck said. “Alaskans do want a fast fix and much like the governor, I can’t stand to go another day jeopardizing public safety.”
The House ultimately voted 31-6 to take up discussion of SB 54, but agreed to waive the referral for the bill to go before the State Affairs committee, to the chagrin of some lawmakers who feared the waiving of this referral was just the start of other skipped steps.
Anchorage Democrat and Chair of the House Judiciary Committee Rep. Matt Claman said the committee would hold public testimony on the proposed bill Monday afternoon as well as from 6-9 p.m. Tuesday evening.
The Senate Committee on Committees met Monday afternoon to reassign several seats taken from Palmer Republican Sen. Shelley Hughes, who lost many of her committee positions for voting against the budget last session violating majority caucus rules.
In her place, Kodiak Republican Sen. Gary Stevens was appointed to the finance committee, Majority Leader and Soldotna Republican Sen. Peter Micciche was appointed to the Labor and Commerce committee and Fairbanks Republican Sen. Click Bishop was appointed to the Resources Committee.
In a second floor session Monday afternoon Senators voted 17-0 to bring SB 54 back for the special session.
The Senate later met in a joint Judiciary and Finance committee meeting to discuss SB 54 with guests Walt Monegan, commissioner of the Department of Public Safety, and John Skidmore, director of the criminal division in the Department of Law.
Sen. Mike Dunleavy voiced concerns that many Alaskans will have to resort to arming themselves to defend against property theft and other crimes.
“What do we tell the people of Alaska who are coming to us and telling us ‘I’m buying a gun for the first time’,” Dunleavy said. “Is this the new Alaska?”
Monegan noted that increased crime waves have happened on and off over the years, recalling an uptick in crime in the 80s. Monegan ultimately agreed this was a big issue that deserved the Senate’s attention.
“I think that it was mentioned earlier, crime is cyclical,” Monegan said. “I do think that we will come out of this, we’re going to come out stronger. I think it is (the new Alaska) at least for a temporary amount of time, until those who are perpetrating these offenses are actually dealt with, which goes back again to SB 54 so we can hold people accountable in a way they are not being held accountable at the moment.”
By the end of the day it appeared SB 54 is slowly moving forward, with the House Judiciary Committee taking public testimony on the issue.
The House and Senate have adjourned until Wednesday morning at 10:30 and 11 a.m. respectively.
Contact staff writer Erin Granger at 459-7544. Follow her on Twitter: @FDNMPolitics.
Read Full Original Content Special session starts with contention over crime bill - Fairbanks Daily News-Miner : http://ift.tt/2zzxAmz
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Special session starts with contention over crime bill - Fairbanks Daily News-Miner"
Post a Comment