Alaska State Legislature
News from the House Majority

Jerry Ritter, House Majority Press Secretary
State Capitol
Juneau, AK 99801
Phone: (907) 465-3804
web site: http://www.akrepublicans.org
Actuality line: 1-800-478-6540

House Stands Up for Alaska's Kids

Bill a Giant Step Toward Protecting Children

For Immediate Release May 6, 1998 Contact: Rep. Fred Dyson at (907) 465-2199.

Juneau -- The Alaska House of Representatives today took a giant step toward protecting children by passing House Bill 375, an omnibus measure that rewrites, modifies, changes, and improves Alaska laws and statutes affecting children in need of aid and foster care.

"House Bill 375 gives clear and specific direction to the Division of Family and Youth Services, provides clear standards for social workers, and makes child protection the number-one priority for DFYS," said Representative Fred Dyson (R-Eagle River), Chairman of the Legislative Children's Caucus, who carried the bill in the House. "While the bill does not guarantee that mistakes won't happen, that all court hearings will be fair, that parents will 'get their act together,' it does put us on the right road," Dyson said

House Bill 375 strengthens Alaska laws regarding crimes against children. It not only eliminates many roadblocks to inter-agency cooperation, it mandates such cooperation.

"State confidentiality laws, as they now exist, have limited some of this vital interagency communication," said Representative Mark Hodgins (R-Kenai), who has been active in child protection issues. "The result is that laws that are supposed to protect kids can end up hurting them. This state of affairs cannot be allowed to continue," Hodgins said.

House Bill 375 establishes child protection at the top priority for DFYS and allows earlier intervention in child abuse and neglect cases. The bill creates a statewide Child Fatality Review Team to review suspicious deaths of children and facilitates the formation of multi-disciplinary teams to deal with child abuse cases.

"It's in everyone best interest that families remain together whenever and wherever possible," said Representative Con Bunde (R-Anchorage), Chairman of the House Health, Education, and Social Services Committee. "But it makes no sense to continue trying to keep kids with abusive or even violent parents when their safety and, at times, their lives may be at stake," Bunde said.

House Bill 375 also addresses foster care in Alaska. It permits foster care parents and other care givers to get all relevant information on children, including medical and behavioral histories and criminal backgrounds. Likewise, it provides for criminal checks for prospective caregivers. The measure also clarifies legal definitions and sets firm deadlines for placement proceedings.

"The Legislative Majority has made child protection one of the cornerstones of our Commitment to Alaska and we have been working hard on this issue all session," said Speaker of the House Gail Phillips (R-Homer). "We have done our best to keep child protection from becoming a partisan issue. Children are not political pawns and should never be treated that way. With this bill we have taken a large and very positive step down the road to the day when we have no more abused Alaskan children," Phillips said.

"I also want to express my sincere appreciation to all the legislators, parents, agency representatives, and others who worked together so tirelessly to get these child protection measures passed," Phillips said.

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Broadcasters note: Comments are available on the House Majority Line 1-800-478-6540.
= Fred Dyson, 87 K = Con Bunde, 94 K