News from the Senate Majority

Alaska State Legislature

Wendy Lindskoog, Senate Majority Press Secretary
State Capitol
Juneau, AK 99801-1182
Phone: 907/465-4582 or Fax: 907/465-6545
http://www.akrepublicans.org
Broadcast Actualities: 800/478-6540

Legislature Passes "No Frills Prison" Act

Provides Incentive to be Crime-Free

For Immediate Release: May 1, 1997 Contact: James Armstrong 907/465-3892

Juneau -- The Alaska State House passed Senator Dave Donley’s "No Frills Prison Act" Thursday by a vote of 33 to 4. Senate Bill 1 limits personal possessions and activities of prisoners in Alaskan correctional facilities, reduces state medical expenses for prisoners and provides greater vocational training opportunities for prisoners.

"The public, not only in Alaska but nationwide, has been asking for this kind of prison reform for a long time," said Senator Donley (R-Anchorage). "I feel confident this law will make people think twice before committing a crime in Alaska."

Donley explained that Senate Bill 1 is a well reasoned step toward implementing the new state constitutional language adopted by voters in 1994 which added "community condemnation", "victim rights", and "victim restitution" as standards for prison administration in Alaska.

The bill seeks to fulfill these new mandates by removing or prohibiting certain amenities from Alaska's prisons including premium cable television, tobacco use, cassette tape players, weightlifting equipment and possession of pornographic materials.

This year's "No Frills Prison Bill" added many new provisions to last year's version which ran short of time on the last day of session. These provisions include:

• instituting a new cost saving provision by instituting a fee for use of electrical utilities;
• giving the Department of Corrections a two-year window of time to gradually implement the "no frills" portion of the bill;
• placing a total ban on use of tobacco products;
• providing clear guidelines on when inmates may file lawsuits in an effort to curtail "recreational litigation";
• requiring the Commissioner of Corrections to establish programs that protect the victims of crimes committed by prisoners.

Senator Donley explained: now that Alaskans can be certain our correctional facilities are more cost effective and not overly comfortable, I believe there will be public support for building the additional prison facilities the state so badly needs.

"I would like to thank Representative Eldon Mulder (R-Anchorage) and Representative Scott Ogan for all of their hard work on this bill," said Senator Donley. Representative Ogan sponsored, HB 74, the companion version of SB 1, in the House of Representatives. He and Representative Mulder were the floor leaders for debate on SB 1 in the House.

Senate Bill 1 will go to the Senate for concurrence on changes made by the House and will then be transmitted to the Governor to be signed into law.

###

Broadcast Note: radio actualities are available by calling 800/478-6540