The Alaska House has voted to prohibit probation officers from searching the homes of Alaskans under electronic monitoring as a result of criminal charges or convictions.
The vote came as the House spent a third day debating amendments to Senate Bill 91, a sweeping reform to Alaska’s criminal justice system.
“I just don’t think it’s appropriate that not just their right of privacy, but the right of anybody else who happens to be living there, is abrogated,” said Rep. Gabrielle LeDoux, R-Anchorage, speaking on behalf of Amendment No. 38, which passed by a a 22-17 vote.
The only other amendment to garner approval before the Empire’s Wednesday print deadline was a move to require probation officers to recommend an end to probation for offenders who commit serious felonies but serve prison time and two years of probation without incident.
The final decision on an end to probation would still be made by a court.
Senate Bill 91, brought forward by Senate Majority Leader John Coghill, R-North Pole, has already been approved by the Alaska Senate. It is the product of several years of study by the Alaska Criminal Justice Commission, which in December recommended 21 changes to the state’s justice system to reduce the growth of Alaska’s prison population.
In broad strokes, SB 91 encourages alternatives to prison, such as electronic monitoring, probation and diversion programs. It also reduces the mandatory minimum sentences on many crimes, allowing more nonviolent offenders to be eligible for these alternatives.
Speaker of the House Mike Chenault ruled two amendments out of order: One would have ensured survivor benefits for the families of peace officers killed in the line of duty. The other would have granted Hmong and Lao veterans of the Vietnam War permission to receive veteran ID cards.
SB 91 could face a final vote of the House as early as Wednesday evening. Lawmakers were still debating amendments and the merits of the overall bill at the Empire’s press deadline.
If the House approves the overall bill, it would return to the Senate, where lawmakers would be asked to concur with the House’s amendments.
Only if both houses approve would the bill advance to Gov. Bill Walker, whose signature is necessary for it to become law.
• Contact reporter James Brooks at james.k.brooks@juneauempire.com.
