An Act relating to runaway minors.

This legislation is one of many in a long list attempting to deal effectively with minors who have run away from home. Four measures have passed the Legislature and become law since 1994-each of them recognizing and strengthening the rights of parents and legal guardians to make the decisions on placement of the minor. House Bill 402 continues that effort.

HB 402 raises the standard by which peace officers determine whether or not to return runaway minors to their parents' or legal guardians' residence. Under current law, once a minor has been determined to be a runaway, peace officers are required to return them to their parents' or legal guardians' residence unless they have reasonable cause to believe that the minor has experienced physical or sexual abuse in the parents' or legal guardians' household. This legislation requires the peace officer to have probable cause to believe such abuse has occurred-a higher standard.

The Legislature has long grappled with the balance between the rights of parents to raise their children to be productive members of society and the responsibility of protecting those who have been abused physically or sexually. HB 402 is an attempt to make Alaska's statutes reflect the appropriateness of minors abiding by the rules and limits set by their parents.