Alaska Legislature

Alaska House asks for quick public feedback on bill scaling back elements of SB 91

JUNEAU — The Alaska House Judiciary Committee is asking for public testimony Monday afternoon on Senate Bill 54, the legislation that would scale back elements of last year's criminal justice overhaul, Senate Bill 91.

The hearing is Alaskans' first opportunity to weigh in on SB 54 during the special legislative session on criminal justice and taxes that convened Monday in Juneau. SB 54 would reinstate some of the types of sentences that were reduced by the criminal justice overhaul.

[Read our series: Alaska Crime and SB 91]

The Judiciary Committee — chaired by Anchorage Democratic Rep. Matt Claman, a supporter of the original overhaul — appears to be moving SB 54 quickly.

The committee didn't announce Monday's public testimony in a press release, and amendments to the 16-page legislation are due from committee members by 9 a.m. Tuesday, less than 24 hours after the special session convenes.

Contact your local legislative information office for information about how to testify; a list of locations is available here. Or, call 907-465-4648.

Nathaniel Herz

Anchorage-based independent journalist Nathaniel Herz has been a reporter in Alaska for nearly a decade, with stints at the Anchorage Daily News and Alaska Public Media. Read his newsletter, Northern Journal, at natherz.substack.com

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